Mind to Mind, Heart to Heart
by Giacinta
Summary: This is a second story about the telepathically linked Winchester brothers. It takes place in the second half of season six and follows canon up until Caged Heat where it goes AU. I am gradually re-formatting this story to make for easier reading.
1. Chapter 1

Mind to Mind, Heart to heart

When you see §-§ instead of "-" it means the boys are talking telepathically.

This is a second story about the now telepathically-linked Winchesters. It takes place in the second half of season six, after Sam gets his soul back, but before his wall falls, and there are some changes made to the episode "Caged Heat."

Everything goes mostly AU afterwards.

* * *

><p>Prologue.<p>

After Caged Heat

x

"Crowley, why did you not follow our plan? When I burned the bones, you were supposed to pretend to die: You made me look like an idiot!" Castiel accused the demon once the Winchesters had left the building.

"It was important, demon! The brothers were beginning be less open with me and I had wanted to assure them of my loyalty by eliminating you while they were looking on. If they ever find out I am working with you, I can't imagine the consequences," Castiel continued.

"I changed my mind," Crowley shrugged. "it's the King of Hell's prerogative, and anyway I've got affairs to attend to. I can't just play dead to cover for you. I've got no time for your whining; if you wanted the Winchesters' approval you should have told them the truth; that you and I are partners in your little plan to power up on souls, oust Raphael and conquer heaven for yourself! You never know, they might even have approved," Crowley smirked sarcastically, as Castiel looked on poker-faced.

"Anyhow, if they stay out of our hair, no problem. However, I will take a second to remind you of all those they HAVE taken out, from Azazel to Lilith to Lucifer, not to mention your angel buddies!" Crowley's voice rose in exasperation.

He breathed in deeply to calm himself down, and continued.

"This is what we'll do. I'll keep out of the Winchesters' way. I'll leave those tousle-headed cuties for you to deal with, but I'm warning you, if they get a whiff that something is dodgy, they'll not stop till they've ferreted out the truth, and your little Heavenly take-over will no longer be a sure thing.

If you want your crusade to succeed you should just kill them. That way the problem will be taken care of!" Crowley finished off.

"I am an Angel of the Lord and you are an abomination, a devil-spawn," Castiel rebuffed. "I don't have to take advice from you, and you will certainly not give me orders. The Winchesters are my friends and I will not harm them; I would sooner smite you!"

"Think what you want, angel. All this talk is making me thirsty!" Crowley promptly disappeared leaving Castiel to ponder for the umpteenth time just what he had set in motion.

TBC


	2. Chapter 2

Mind to Mind, Heart to Heart

Chapter One

XXXXXXX

Anyone venturing into Singer's junk-yard on this unusually warm March day wouldn't have noticed anything out of the ordinary, just a young man intent on tinkering with the engine of a gleaming black Impala, parked in the shade of a shed cluttered with tools, dirty oil-rags and a variety of cannibalized parts of once classy cars.

Dean Winchester enjoyed working on the Chevy; it was refreshing just to be able to concentrate on his baby instead of fighting for his life against some supernatural creature.

He and Sam had been at Bobby's for nearly two weeks now, partly because Bobby seemed glad of their company and overtly pleased to have them around, and partly because everything was unnaturally quiet on the hunting front; no omens, weird sightings or strange deaths.

So Dean had passed most of his time with his head under the hood of the Impala while his little brother immersed himself in the ancient tomes in Bobby's library. Sam had renewed his standing offer to catalogue the books but was treated to Bobby's standard "mess with my books, boy and you're a dead hunter "glare.

X

§ Dean! §

§ Yeah, Sammy. §

§ I've just stumbled on a book on ancient Veda rituals that had fallen down back of the old dresser in the corner of the library. Bobby couldn't even remember having it. § Sam's enthusiastic voice echoed in his mind.

§ Wow, I'm real excited for you, geek boy! §

Sam huffed back at Dean's ironic tone.

§ No need to huff and puff, Sam. The time has come for us to get our asses back on the road before you start to drive me nuts with your nerdy orgasms.§

X

His Baby was better than new, the sun was shining, the music was blasting out from the speakers, the black asphalt was beckoning to him and Sam was riding shotgun; everything was as perfect as it could ever be in Dean Winchester's world.

In that moment, Dean accepted his lot. This is who he was; this was his life; this was where he was at his happiest. It was useless trying to pretend that anything else was going to satisfy him.

He turned his head towards his brother, the single most important person in his life.

§ Thanks Sammy! §

§ For what? Dean. § Sam's surprised voice echoed in his mind.

§ For existing, and for being my brother. §

§ Dean…. I…Right back at you bro. § and Dean vacillated at the wave of understanding, acceptance and love that Sam sent back through their link.

They found themselves using their mind-link more and more when they were alone, it was becoming easier than using their voices.

Sometimes they wondered how they had ever managed without it.

X

X

Bushville, Iowa.

Dean entered the motel room taking care not to disturb the salt line, bags of food in hand, only to find Sam in his usual position, hunched over his lap-top.

§ Find anything interesting, Sammy? §

§ Nah, it seems that every supernatural critter has decided to call it quits. It's pretty strange, Dean.§

§ Well, look on the bright side, no poor sucker is getting clawed, strangled or eaten! §

Dean peeked over Sam's shoulder at the screen.

§ Isn't that Dr. Visyak, Bobby's friend; the dragon lady? §

§ Yeah, she's holding a seminar on Chimerical Creatures at a University not far from here. Why don't we go, Dean. We're doing nothing but sleeping and eating anyway. §

Sam turned his well-oiled, practically infallible, pleading puppy-gaze on his brother, well-aware that spending hours in a crowded hall listening to a series of lectures wasn't Dean's idea of a fun way of passing the time.

Dean didn't quite manage to turn away quickly enough, and the soft pleading eyes of his brother hit him full force.

" Are you still gonna be using those eyes to get your own way until you're a hundred? " Dean's voice reverberated loudly in, the up till now, silence of the room.

" No, Dean. Just until you continue to cave in! " came the unabashed reply.

" Bitch!"

"Jerk!"

Dean shook this head, accepting the fact that there was little he could deny Sam.

The only time was when his little brother was hurt or in danger; dragging Sam's ass to safety would always come before anything else, even the eyes!

So that's how he found himself getting bored to tears in a crowded University Hall next to an engrossed Sam whose attention never wavered from the lecturer.

§ Sammy. §

§ What! §

§ I have to take a leak. §

§ What the Hell, Dean! I should care, why? §

§ Okay, okay, sorry to interrupt! §

"Wow," Dean murmured to himself, "he really must be interested; no bitch-face!"

He pushed open the outer doors and made his way over to the Impala, breathing in the fresh evening air.

"Hey, baby, we're gonna spend some quality time together until this bore-fest is over and Sam decides to call it a night."

He heard a rustling noise and turned around, nearly banging his face against Castiel who still couldn't seem to get his mind round the concept of "personal space"

"Cas, what the hell! "

"I am sorry, Dean. I did not mean to violate your space."

" Yeah, whatever! Is something up?"

" No, Dean. I was nearby and I thought I would drop in to see if you and Sam were well."

Dean looked at him as if he had sprouted an extra head, technically quite possible for an angel, he thought to himself. He seemed to remember that douche-bag Zachariah saying he had four.

" You thought you would drop in?" repeated Dean sarcastically. "You hardly ever come when we call, unless we have a Heavenly Weapon sighting, and now you're making unsolicited house visits! Have you won your little war in Heaven or what!"

" That is unfair, Dean. You know the affairs of Heaven need my constant attention. Are you and Sam here for a reason? Are you on a hunt? "

"Nah, Sam needed to feed his geek addiction; it's never a good thing to leave him too long without a fix."

"I understand. Is he well? How is his wall holding up. "

"What's with all the questions, Cas?" Dean asked curious.

"I was only trying to make conversation but as my presence does not seem to be appreciated, I will get back to my duties!"

"Cas, wait. I didn't mean to…." Dean found himself speaking vainly to empty air as the angel disappeared.

x

§ Dean! Are you okay? Is there something wrong? Where have you disappeared to? §

§ I'm fine, Sasquatch. I've just had a very strange visit from Cas. I'll tell you all about it later. §

§ Fine. Dr. Visyak is just about finish up here anyway. See you in ten.§

TBC


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Two

* * *

><p>Fifteen minutes later Dean saw Sam hurrying towards him.<p>

§ Dean! Come over here! §

§ Aw, Sam. Don't tell me they've prolonged the lecture! I am NOT going back in. §

§ No, Dean. I want you to introduce me to Dr Visyak. You broke her dragon sword. She's sure to remember you! §

§ I'm sure she will, that's why she probably won't be happy to see me, Doofus! § Dean sent back.

§ There she is, going towards her car. §

Dean wanted to shrug off Sam's hand which had wrapped itself around his arm but he let himself be dragged over to the woman who was getting into her car.

§ Dean! §

§ Okay, okay. Stop the whining, Sasquatch §

"Doctor Visyak. Nice to see you again." Dean began.

"Well, well, Winchester! Didn't expect to bump into you again so soon. Still in the business of destroying inestimably valuable artefacts!" she reprimanded.

"Er, yeah, sorry about that, but Bobby's taking real good care of what's left."

"Right, it's been nice meeting you again but if you don't mind I've got a deadline to meet." was her unimpressed reply, as she went to get into her car

x

§ Dean! § Sam's mind-squawk nearly deafened him.

"I don't think you've met my brother Sam. He wanted to congratulate you on your seminar."

Dr Visyak stopped and looked up towards the man at Dean's shoulder.

"Really?" she cocked her head.

Sam launched enthusiastically into his tirade.

"I'm so pleased to meet you, Dr Visyak. Your lecture was very interesting and added a hitherto unknown batch of chimerical beings to the lore that is currently available. I was just wondering what your fonts were for these innovations. Would it be possible to have a copy of your notes and research? I would be really appreciative." He stopped and waited in hopeful anticipation.

She took a moment to run her eyes over the tall handsome man at Dean's side.

There was something about him that appealed to her, a feeling intensified by his entreating... puppy-like eyes.

"I wouldn't mind feeding him some tit-bits!" she mused appreciatively.

x

§ Dude, she just totally cougared your ass! What is it with you and older women! § Dean's mind-voice echoed in his head.

§ Shut up. Dean! She's Bobby's friend. §

§ Yeah, so! Variety is the spice of life, Sammy!" § Dean's smirk came through loud and clear.

"I'm so glad you enjoyed my lecture, Sam, but I'm afraid I can't give you all of my fonts as some are, how can I say, rather private and not to be published, although very, very reliable. However if you give me your e-mail I will be happy to let you have what I can of my research."

She got into her car and looked up at Sam before closing the door.

"I must say it's very refreshing to have a young man like yourself so interested in my work. Your brother knows where I live. If you ever need any "individual tutoring" you know where to find me!"

With that she raked a last appreciative glance over Sam, slammed the door and drove off.

§ You totally scored, little bro! I can just imagine the kind of research she would want to share with you! Those older gals just fall at your feet when you pull out the puppies! § crowed Dean.

§ Shut up! Dean. Your mind runs on a one way track. Sex, sex, sex! §

§ That's not true, Sammy. I love pie, too! Aw, come on Sam. It's not my fault that it's so easy to piss you off! §

§ Jerk! §

Sam huffed his way over to the Impala and folded himself into the passenger seat, intent on sending his contact info to Dr Visyak's mail.

Dean slipped in behind the wheel and turned to his brother.

§ Earlier, while you were inside Cas showed up. §

§ Why? Did you call him? §

§ No. He just appeared wanting to know if everything was OK. §

§ Dean, lately he only seems to come, and grudgingly, when you call him and he never shows up spontaneously unless he needs something from us. Doesn't it seem a little strange to you that he would just drop in for a visit? §

§ Well, no-one can say that Cas was ever normal to begin with so I suppose he must have his reasons. § Dean answered offhandedly.

Sam just nodded and went back to fiddling with his phone, but his sixth sense was telling him that things were far from normal.

There was some flitting detail at the edge of his memory about Cas.

Something he knew was important, but it hovered tantalizingly just out of his reach.

To be honest, a part of him didn't want to probe too deeply, for Dean had alternately warned and pleaded with him not to try and remember things about his soulless year and his time in Hell in case his wall fell; but it was so annoying the way this little detail was niggling at him.

§ All that culture has made me hungry. You ready to eat, Sammy? § Dean's mind-voice broke in on his thoughts.

§ Whatever you want, Dean. Lead the way. §

His attention, however, returned to Cas.

TBC


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Three

* * *

><p>Sam found himself unable to stop going back to pick at the same bone. The detail about Castiel was hovering just outside his perception. Dean always maintained that Sam's geek brain could never relax.<p>

If it didn't have a problem to keep it occupied then it just wasn't happy.

"Maybe he was right," Sam mused as he sifted carefully through his memories.

x

Dean had decided that tonight he was in the mood for a pizza and so they were sitting in Marco's Mediterranean Pizza Parlour at the kind of table they always picked out, one beside the back wall, which left them a good view of the door and was in an easily defendable position should any "unexpected visitors" arrive.

"I am starving dude, so I'm going for the biggest, toppiest pizza in the house." Dean declared enthusiastically, looking across at his brother, but Sam was lost to the world.

"Sam, there are two wendigos walking into the joint with pink ballet shoes, white tutus, and long flowing blond hair." Dean declared poker-faced.

"Um. Yeah, cheese topping is fine Dean." came the distracted reply.

§ Sammy! §

"Dude, what's going on with you? You've hardly opened your mouth since we left the lecture hall and you would probably still be sitting here brooding if those two wendigos really had walked in!"

"Two wendigos in here! What on earth are you talking about, Dean?" Sam commented confused.

"Okay. Forget everything!" Dean huffed, rolling his eyes. "God, it's like dealing with a two-year old! Let's start from scratch. Just where are you zoning out to, because you're certainly not listening to anything I'm saying!"

x

Sam averted his eyes, well aware that his brother would be pissed to know that he was going all out to try and remember the damn elusive detail about Castiel, but Dean knew his brother too well, and this roaming around in each other's mind had only increased his understanding of his sibling.

"Sam, you're trying to remember potentially wall-breaking details, aren't you? You can't leave well alone, can you' You've always been a stubborn little bitch." Dean's words were harsh, but his eyes were full of concern for his brother.

He was terrified of what could happen if the darn thing came down.

§ Dean. Don't get mad. Come and look at my wall. I know you can see it. If you notice any cracks, I'll just let go and forget about it, but if it's still intact I want to keep trying to remember this thing about Cas. It's just too important. §

§ You're trying to remember something about Cas, but why? § Dean's voice echoed in surprise.

§ Dean, if I knew, I wouldn't be trying to remember, would I, Doofus? §

Sam's mind-voice was light and teasing. He was trying to calm his big brother down and avoid an all out argument.

§Trust me, for once, Dean. §

§ Sam, this isn't a question of trust. There's nobody that I trust more than you, and you know it. Okay. Let's have a look at the wall. §

Dean examined the construction. It looked intact and there didn't seem to be any cracks.

He exited his brother's mind and sighed. "Everything seems to be alright. It's looks solid enough."

Sam took pity on his worried brother and decided that whatever that memory was, it could wait until he and Dean polished off their pizzas, and so he devoted his full attention to keeping his big brother happy.

He kept up a steady stream of chatter about Dr Visyak's lecture, and accepted the whole range of cougar teasing that Dean threw at him, with all the eye rolling and bitch-facing that was expected of him.

Strangely enough he thoroughly enjoyed the evening with his brother and he realised, much as Dean had done not many hours before, that this was what made him happy; simply being with his big brother, having his back and sharing this unique gift that had been bestowed upon them.

He was no longer that eighteen year old boy who had thought that running from his family was going to make him happy.

If he could go back, he would do it all differently. He would never have left Dean on his own, with no back up, no-one to tend to his wounds, or to simply bring him a drink of water.

His heart ached when he thought of how, if he had stayed with Dean, Jess would still be alive; perhaps a career woman or a wife and mother.

That was on him alone. He had all but murdered her.

§ Stop it, Dude. You didn't kill her. Brady and Azazel did. Stop feeling guilty for something you weren't responsible for. We've had this conversation already. How many times are we gonna have to repeat it. § Dean's voice entered potently into his mind.

§ Thanks Dean. §

§ For what, Sammy. I hope that this is the last time I'm gonna have to say it, although I doubt it! You didn't deserve any of it Dude, not the demon blood, not the hunting life, not the visions and certainly not the hundred and eighty years in Hell. So enough! §

Dean called the waiter over for the bill and the brothers moved together as one, towards the third member of their family, the ever loyal Impala, their only true home.

Specks of their DNA had been scattered throughout her interior as they had grown, cried, eaten and slept in her, and were now melded into the leather seats and carpets.

She was a true Winchester in every sense of the word.

As Sam expertly folded his long limbs into the car, he finally remembered what he had been trying so hard to do.

The memory hit him with a clarity that surprised him, but left him chilled and fearful as to what it might mean.

"Dean! I've remembered!"

TBC


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five.

* * *

><p>"Dean, I've remembered."<p>

Dean took his place behind the wheel and turned expectantly to his brother, a half-smile on his face.

"Well. Was it worth all the heart-searching you put into it?"

Dean's voice was light, as he was expecting Sam to spout some trivial thing that Cas had done or gotten wrong in his usual naïve manner.

"He pulled me out of Hell," Sam mouthed quietly, knowing that he was setting the cat among the pigeons.

His brother's hand stopped half way to the ignition, key in hand.

"What are you saying Sam? Crowley pulled you out of hell!" Dean's voice was no longer so easy-going, a hard edge making itself heard.

x

"No, Dean. It was Castiel." Sam insisted.

"No way! When Crowley took the merit for dragging you out of the Cage, Cas didn't contradict him. If it was him, why not say so? Why would he let us go on believing a lie? Why would he take you out without your soul?"

There were just too many questions that Sam's simple statement had brought to the surface, all of which Dean wasn't sure he wanted answers to. If what his brother said was true, then the consequences were unthinkable.

Sam gave his brother a moment to assimilate what he had told him, well aware of his friendship with the angel and truly sorry to heap more problems onto Dean's shoulders, but he was certain of what he was saying.

"Dean, not more than fifteen minutes ago you said that there was no-one else you trusted as much as me. Does that only hold true when it suits you?" Sam asked quietly.

Sam's wide, soulful eyes locked gazes with Dean's incredulous ones, and Dean was the first to lower them, reading in their depths the truth about what Castiel had done.

There were very few times that Dean was left speechless; he leaned forward and rested his head on the steering wheel as if to drain off comfort and new energies from his Baby.

Sam placed an understanding arm on his sibling's shoulder. He didn't want to intrude on Dean's mind; he wanted to give him time to get his coping mechanisms in place first.

x

Unfortunately that wasn't all he had to tell Dean about Castiel, but he didn't want to overwhelm his brother with too much information.

Dean lifted his head and leaned back in the seat as if to compose himself.

"Cas lied to us; but why?" Dean left the question hanging in the air.

His eyes turned to Sam.

"Let's just go over what we know, Sammy. After Stull Cemetery..." Dean's voice wavered, the anguish he had felt then colouring his words,"... I went to Lisa's, and...Cas... pulled you out of the Cage, soulless, practically at the same time. You went off with Samuel and hunted with him for the entire time I was with the Braedens.

After that year and a half, why did you come to me, Sam?" he asked curiously.

"I don't really know Dean," Sam answered tiredly.

"The only thing that seemed to fill my mind then was hunting.

It felt as if I was isolated in some kind of bubble with no desire or need for anything outside killing monsters.

I was aware of the fact that you were still with Lisa, but it didn't seem to be important." Sam faltered, knowing just how hurtful the words were for Dean, but he continued gamely on.

"Then when Samuel got wind that the Djinn were coming after you and me both, he sent me to stake out the house.

When I saw you, I won't lie and tell you that I suddenly wanted to hunt and be with you again, but I felt something flowering inside me, and the more I was with you the more I wanted to stay. I knew something wasn't right with me and that I didn't feel as I should've towards you, but I just didn't have the perception to know what was wrong.

Well, you know the rest! Good old Soulless Sammy! " he finished bitterly.

X

§ Sammy! Stop it! §

Dean sent a wave of sympathy and love into his sibling's mind.

§ That's all in the past. We're together now; we practically live inside each other's minds and we are NOT going to be separated again! Ever! You got that College Boy? §

§ Little brothers always pay attention to their big brothers. § Sam sent back teasingly.

§ I wish, Sammy! You're the poster boy for doing the opposite of what I say. When have you and your skinny ass ever listened to me? §

Sam's bitch-face lightened Dean's heart. It was strange that even in the worst scenarios they managed to find a moment of comfort.

X

Dean brought his concentration back to Cas.

"Okay! Cas clearly wanted us to believe that Crowley pulled you out. Why?"

"I haven't told you everything yet, Dean," Sam interjected.

Dean prepared himself for another punch to the gut.

"When Castiel was outside the Cage, I could see him talking with Michael. All I heard was the word "Purgatory" and then I found myself out of the Cage and lying naked in a field, just before Samuel found me."

"Purgatory! What the Hell, Sam!"

"You said it, bro!"

TBC


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six.

* * *

><p>Dean's fertile mind went into overdrive trying to decipher the information Sam had just shared with him.<p>

"Sam, I know you don't remember much from the year you were soulless, but one night we went on a raid into Crowley's base, where he was holding all the alphas and other monsters that we helped capture for him. Cas came with us, as did Meg; at a certain point after Crowley vowed that he couldn't pull your soul out of Hell, Cas pulled out these old bones and burned them.

I think he must have thought they were Crowley's because when Crowley was still standing there smirking, Cas had the most surprised look on his face. Well surprised for Cas!" Dean grunted, remembering the usually inexpressive face of the angel.

"Then Crowley said something about angels being stupid dicks and disappeared," he added.

I didn't really think much of it at the time. I mean Cas does get things confused sometimes, and he was under a lot of pressure with the Civil War in Heaven thing, so I just chalked it down to another of his mix-ups."

x

Sam scrunched up his forehead trying to think, "Yeah, I seem to recall that you were gonna be breakfast for two ghouls and I remember Meg and the hell-hound."

"That's another thing Sammy. I thought Angels could skin those pups alive, so why did Castiel not take care of it?

You know the more I go over that night, the more I realise now that something was off. It's almost like it was all a set-up for us."

X

"Dean, I know you don't want to contemplate it, but everything points to Castiel and Crowley being partners in this," said Sam softly.

"Maybe Crowley was supposed to fake his death by having Castiel burn some other person's bones but at the last minute Crowley changed his mind and didn't collaborate."

"Yeah," answered Dean. "And me and soulless you didn't suspect anything was off, simply because I had complete faith in Cas, and it just didn't click."

X

"Okay, let's assume that Cas and Crowley are working together, and I'm still giving him the benefit of the doubt; why would he do that? Dean cautioned, turning his body around in the seat to face his brother.

"I mean I think we all know how making deals with demons has gone down!"

"Maybe Crowley promised to help him, or maybe find some Heavenly weapon. I don't know!" ventured Sam.

"Even so Sammy, I mean we're talking the King of Hell and the wannabe Boss of Heaven being allies here; not exactly something that crops up every day!"

X

"And we haven't even got to the personal stuff, yet," Dean's voice took on a razor edge.

"I just don't understand that if it was Cas who pulled you out of Hell, why didn't he just say so. It would have been a miracle for you and for me, and we would have been grateful forever.

Why let us believe it was Crowley?"

"Unless," Sam interrupted with a broken voice. "There was something about pulling me out of Hell that he didn't want us to know about; and that can only have to do with my soul."

He turned his moist puppy eyes on his brother.

"I did some terrible things when I was soulless, but the worst of all were the things I did to you. I stood by smiling as you were turned into a vampire. I will never be able to say how sorry I am for that, Dean, never! "

§ Come on, Sammy. Stop it! It wasn't you. §

Dean knew that calming down Sam was much more effective through their link, for the words were always accompanied by a rush of acceptance and love.

§ It was me! it just wasn't _**all**_ of me, I know that; but that doesn't take away from the fact that it was my body doing those things, Dean.§

§ Sam, I'm your big brother. It's up to me to look out for you, something I haven't always done to the best of my ability, but you've always forgiven me anyway, haven't you, Sammy? §

§ You know I have Dean…but… §

§ No buts, Sammy. I've hurt you many times too, and I wasn't soulless or possessed by Lucifer as you were. So let's just bury all that crap in the past where it belongs. Okay bro? §

Sam nodded with a watery smile.

"Okay, now that we've had our chick-flick for the day, can we get back to Cas? The only thing that was wrong with you getting out of the Cage was that you came out without your soul so that must be where the problem is.

Why didn't he pull out your soul along with the rest of you?"

Sam waited for his brother to continue.

x

"You know, Death told me before he went off to get your soul out of the Cage that it was 'all about the souls'. At the time I didn't really think anything of it; I was too wired up about you getting your soul back and the whole freaky wall thing, but now, thinking back on it, I believe he was trying to warn me about something.

When Death opened his bag and brought out your soul, Sam, it was beautiful. It was dazzling, so white and pure, like a ball of energy. After all that time in Hell, I was expecting,.…well, I don't know quite what I was expecting, but your soul seemed completely untarnished by its time there."

Dean remembered the emotion he had felt at seeing the intimate essence of his little brother.

"A ball of energy?" Sam's voice rose in excitement.

"Dean, could it be that the "energy" of souls acts like a generator of some kind that angels or other heavenly beings could draw on?"

"Son of a bitch, Sam! I think you're on to something, Maybe Castiel didn't pull out your soul 'cause he was keeping it in reserve for his own use! Could be he wanted to use my little brother's soul to fire up his powers against Raphael!" Dean's voice was so heavy with anger that it burst through their mind-link and almost flattened Sam against the car door. He held on to his head in agony.

"Dean, stop! Calm down! You're splitting my head in two!"

Dean breathed deeply to try and bring his anger under control.

"Sorry Sam, but if what we have theorized about Cas is true, then nothing is gonna keep me from splattering his sorry ass throughout the universe!"

The brothers sat in silence for a moment, the full impact of what they might have discovered leaving them shocked.

"Dean. I was just thinking that we don't know much about souls and the amount of energy they hold, but it seems to me that my soul on its own wouldn't be enough for the power Castiel would need to defeat Raphael and his host of angels.

You remember I told you he was talking to Michael and I heard the word "Purgatory. What if it really exists?" Sam mused.

"Well, Heaven and Hell exist so I suppose there's no reason that Purgatory can't be real too. There's no lore about it,though, otherwise Bobby would have mentioned it," remarked Dean thoughtfully.

"Maybe all the knowledge and literature referring to it has been destroyed through the centuries. Could be it was placed out of bounds because it was dangerous, or for some other reason. What if the angels themselves don't even know where and if, it exists any more?" Sam speculated.

"You know Sam; I think you could be on to something here!" Dean's voice was confident. "We're gonna turn my Baby round and head right on back to Bobby's, and this time I'm even gonna join you amongst his dusty old boring books on lore."

x

"I'm afraid that won't be possible," came a well-known voice, just before the brothers were plunged into darkness.

* * *

><p>TBC<p> 


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter seven

X

Dean's eye-lashes fluttered as his senses started to return to him.

The bright light hitting his eyes was making him nauseous. He quickly closed them, the glare leaving an angry image on the inside of his closed lids.

He decided to try again, and this time the brightness seemed a little bit more tolerable.

He looked up shakily, and familiar green walls came into focus; he had been here before, a couple of years ago, before his little brother had taken the nose-dive into the Cage.

This is where he had killed that douche-bag Zachariah. He had often wondered about that. He had been told that only angels could kill other angels; well, he wasn't going to cry any tears over it.

The feathery dick had deserved to die.

x

Of course he knew that in their supernatural world, coming back from the dead was more than possible; he and Sam were living examples of it, so he supposed angels could too.

He pulled himself up on to his elbows and swept his gaze around the room.

No Sam!

Dean's heart started to go into overdrive, fear for his brother causing it to beat with the violent rhythm of an orchestra of drums.

§ Sam, Sammy! §

He searched for his brother through their link but there was no comforting reply to sooth his fears.

He tried to calm himself down.

"Okay, Dean," he reasoned with himself. "You were out for the count, so maybe Sam is too and just hasn't woken up yet."

They had tried all sorts of things when they were first experimenting with their mind-link and he was aware that when one of the two was unconscious, the communication was still there but it was much weaker.

He knew because he had been hurled against a tree by a nasty ghost and had come to his senses with Sam's anxious repetition of "Dean, Dean, are you okay? Can you hear me, bro?" reverberating through the link.

He pulled himself to his feet sliding his back up the wall for support and tried to focus on what had happened. They had been about to turn the Impala around and head back to Bobby's when he had heard a voice, Castiel's voice, then darkness; and now he was here in the familiar Green Room.

Alone!

What the Hell!

Castiel had brought him here, without Sam. "Why would he do such a thing, " Dean asked himself. "Anyway, first things first. I have to find Sam."

X

§ Sam, Sam, answer me dude or when I find you I'll kick your ass! Sammy, Sam! §

§ Dee…an. §

§ That's right, Sam. Come on. Wake up, man. Are you okay? Where are you? §

Dean drew a relieved hand down his face. His anxiety had gone down a notch now that he knew his brother was alive.

God, he was thankful for their link, otherwise he would have been climbing the walls by now.

§ Yeah, I'm alright. I'm just wobbly. Where am I? § Sam sent back.

§ Dude, you tell me! All I know is that you're not with me! §

§ Just…just... give me a minute Dean. I feel as if I've been hit with a truck. §

§ Nope! You were zapped by an angel §

§ Cas. Yeah, now I remember. I heard his voice and then nada. §

§ Sam, do you remember Zachariah's Green Room? That's where I am. §

§ Well, if an angel wanted to zap you somewhere, Dean, the Green Room would be a logical choice. Once you're in you don't get out. No doors! §

§ Thank you, Sammy Spock! Now it's your turn. Where the Hell are you? §

X

§ Hell might be the operative word, Dean. I think I'm in the Hell version of the Green Room. §

§ What the crap is that supposed to mean? § Dean shot back.

§ Well for a start the walls are blood-red and the paintings are those of Hieronymus Bosch. You know the ones depicting the horrendous tortures of Hell. §

§ Yeah, I know the ones you mean, college boy. §

X

§ Fine now that we know where we are, I wanna know _**why**_ we are! §

Having ascertained that Sam wasn't in imminent danger, Dean's anger was rising by the minute.

He wanted to know why he had been dragged here and why Sam had been separated from him and sent off to Hell's waiting room. He damn well wanted answers and Cas had better have some really good ones!

§ Sam. This might be the occasion to find out if anything supernatural can sense our link. I'm gonna call for Cas. If he comes, you listen in through me. If he's not aware that we can share our thoughts, we're good to go, but if he realises something's goin' on, stop listening in. §

§ Right, but if it is Cas behind our kidnapping, why would he do such a thing? §

§ Well, Sammy, Let's try and find out. §

x

"Cas, get your ass down here pronto! I just want to talk. I'll think about payback later for this little trick you've pulled on us."

§ Dean, try diplomacy! Keep your cool and don't throw any punches. You know you'll only break your hand! §

§ Sammy! § Dean sent back with a mental smirk, § You know that I'm the coolest dude, not to say the most awesome, in the Galaxy. §

§ Right! Modest much, Dean! § bitched back his brother.

He turned and almost bumped heads with Castiel.

"Why? "

Dean wasn't in the mood for the social niceties. He wanted answers. All the rest could wait.

Cas had been following some agenda of his own to win a war in Heaven, and that was fine, but when he kidnapped, separated, and imprisoned the Winchesters, he had crossed a line that Dean wasn't prepared to ignore.

"I can explain, Dean. I just wanted to keep you safe," Castiel began.

"Do go on. I'm all ears, Cas." Dean's voice was as icy as the gelid winds that sweep the Antarctic wastelands.

TBC


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight

* * *

><p>Sam's eyelids fluttered, his eyes adapting more easily to the red-tinged tenebrous light that filled the room.<p>

He heard Dean's voice in his mind anxiously calling him.

It took him a moment to get his bearings. He remembered having heard Castiel's voice and then darkness.

"God! Can we never catch a break?" he wondered to himself.

x

Were he and Dean eternally condemned to be the focus of every supernatural fugly in existence?

What happened to the saving people, hunting things, of bygone days?

Everything had just gotten so complicated.

He knew that if ever anything happened to Dean, he would follow him instantly; there had been hunters before them and there would be after them.

Dying was no big; he had been there, done that, both of them had.

He was soon distracted from his melancholic thoughts by Dean's continual mind-pounding.

x

§ I'm okay, Dean. A little wobbly but that's all. §

After they had assured each other that they were fine, they brought one other up to date on where they found themselves and on how to proceed.

Dean finished up by saying that he was going to call Cas and hear what he had to say.

§ You listen in Sam. We'll see if Cas can detect our link. §

§ Be careful, Dean. remember Castiel just has to snap his fingers and you're mincemeat.§

§ Cas won't hurt us Sam. §

§ Right. That's why we're "here" and not still in the Impala! § was the caustic reply.

x

Castiel and Dean

* * *

><p>Castiel came almost instantly at Dean's call.<p>

"I can explain, Dean. I just wanted to keep you safe," he began.

x

"Okay, I get it that me and Sam have been known to occasionally punch the living daylights out of each other but I didn't think it was necessary to separate us to keep us safe." Dean's tone was ironic.

The angel observed him blankly." It was not to keep you safe from each other but from those who would do you harm."

"And that would be?" inquired Dean coldly.

"Raphael and his followers"

"Really!" Dean's disbelief was so thick that it could have been cut with a knife.

"Let me get this straight. You kidnapped me and my brother to keep us safe from Raphael, who by the way has never bothered his feathery ass about us since Sam got his soul back, and to protect us even better you separated Sam and me, because _**together **_we would have been less safe.

"You're seriously asking me to believe this crap, Cas?"

x

§ Dean, you realise he's lying through his teeth, right! § Sam's voice threaded through Dean's mind.

§ Wow, Sammy! Ya' think! §

§ There's no need to be bitchy, Dean! §

§ Don't worry Sam. I wouldn't dream of taking your title from you. §

§ Jerk! §

§ Dean, wait! Maybe he was listening in when we were talking about him and not Crowley, being the one who pulled me out of the Cage, and about Purgatory too. §

§ That makes sense, bro. Could be he heard something he didn't like, but that would mean he's been spying on us. §

Sam's silence was more than eloquent.

Dean turned back to the task in hand; getting the truth from a painfully easy to bamboozle angel!

Task which he had no doubt of completing successfully.

"Separating you would make it more difficult for Raphael to track you down. Even if he found one of you the other would be safe."

Castiel was continuing on with his explanation, so he hadn't caught on to the mind-link, Dean mused, contented.

§ Score one for Team Winchester, Sammy. §

Sam's satisfaction and relief leaked through the link.

x

Dean gave his full attention to the angel.

"Okay, Cas," Dean had decided to go for the diplomatic approach as suggested by his little brother. "You want to keep us safe, but for how long?"

"Until I defeat Raphael"

"So, how's that going?"

"Things are not going well. I...I.. need something that will turn the tide in my favour"

"What about all those Heavenly weapons that you've gathered?"

"They are not enough to defeat the forces of Raphael."

"What you need Cas is a super-nuke," Dean kept his voice purposely sympathetic. "A source of energy so powerful that it will destroy all your enemies; something... like the energy that would come from millions of souls."

"Yes, that is what I need..."

Dean's triumphant smirk was what Castiel saw, as he halted in mid-sentence, ealizing what he had just revealed.

Suddenly Dean was right up in his personal space, the angel's trench-coat fisted in his hand, examining at him as if he was a specimen in a laboratory. His voice had taken on its icy tone again.

x

"You know, Cas, if you want to lie convincingly, you're gonna have to practice a lot more. You didn't bring us here to protect us but because Sam remembered that it was you, and not Crowley that pulled him out of the Cage.

Then you heard all the rest of our conversation; spying on us, keeping nice and quiet like a fly on the wall.

You know what I think, Cas. I think that you made a deal with Crowley to get your hands on an untapped number of extra souls for your little war in Heaven I'm thinking that if souls are so powerful, then I'm sure Crowley wanted in on the deal."

He looked Castiel in the eyes, assessing him. "Or... maybe it was Crowley who suggested it!"

He gave the angel a last long look, released him and backed off.

"Cas, Cas, Cas, making deals with demons has never been a good idea! You're talking to an expert here."

Castiel stood as if made of stone, his face a blank; denying nothing.

"It's becoming all so clear. Even purgatory, " Dean continued.

"The souls in Heaven are already divided between you and Raphael; Crowley's keeping his hands on his own souls in Hell, so that's why Crowley was torturing alphas; to get the location of Purgatory.

All those extra souls, if there are any in there, would come in very handy. They would tip the scales in your favour and allow you to win the war. You didn't bring us here to protect us but to keep us out of the way. Sam was starting to remember things and you were afraid that we would figure everything out.

He says you were talking to Michael from outside the cage. Were you asking him where the entrance to Purgatory was? Hmm!

Maybe cooking up a little deal? Huh!

Michael tells you where the entrance is, and in exchange you'll pull him out when it's all over!

Did he give you a hand getting Sammy's body from the cage as a token of good will?"

How am I doing, Cas?" Dean smirked, turning to stare at him.

x

"You know nothing! The war in Heaven is far more important than you and your brother," Castiel answered almost passionately

"Crowley wanted me to kill you but I said no. You and Sam will be guests, you here and Sam with Crowley, until I have conquered Heaven," was Castiel's brusque reply.

Dean watched with cold indifference as the angel disappeared.

§ Sammy! You hear everything? §

§ Yeah, Dean. I'm sorry, man. I wish it hadn't gone down like that. §

Sam's wave of comfort for Dean's distress poured through the link, soothing his big brother.

TBC


	9. Chapter 9

§ Yeah, Dean. I'm sorry, man. I wish it hadn't gone down like that. §

Sam's wave of comfort for Dean's distress poured through the link

* * *

><p>Sorry for any grammatical mistakes that may have slipped through.<p>

X

Chapter Nine

* * *

><p>X<p>

§ Thanks, Sammy, but I doubt anyone forced Cas to ally himself with Crowley.

He chose to do so, and he obviously didn't trust us enough to let us in on what he was doing,

so yeah, I'm upset that he kept it from me but if he's not cut up about it, why should I be.

Anyway we're gonna have to concentrate on finding a way to get out of here, wherever "here" is.

This little alliance between Crowley and Cas doesn't promise anything good and it's on us to stop it. §

X

§ Dean, Crowley's just appeared! §

X

§ Son of a bitch! Be careful, Sam. If he lays a finger on you I'll skin his skanky ass. §

X

"Well now, if it isn't my favourite Moose!" smirked Crowley as he materialised inside the gloomy room.

"Everything comfortable I hope. I'm aware the décor is a little flashy but we are Hell-side so, you know, one has

to give people what they expect. "

X

Sam surmised that as Crowley didn't know about his mind-link with Dean, through which

he had already been brought up to date on what Castiel had said, he would expect him to fire

a barrage of questions, so Sam did just that.

He drew himself up to his full height and let loose. "What am I doing here, Crowley? What's this all about?

Where's my brother? If you've touched a hair on his head I'll…"

X

"You'll do what? You're nothing but a puny little mud-bag." And with a flick of his wrist

he sent Sam flying against the nearest wall in the room.

X

§ Sam. Are you okay?§ Dean's concerned voice echoed in his mind.

§ I'm fine, Dean. He just pinned me to the wall. Don't worry, I'll handle this. §

X

Dean was on tenterhooks. He hadn't really believed that Cas would've hurt him

but he wasn't convinced that Crowley would be as considerate with his brother.

X

"Now that we've established who's boss here, Sammy-boy, I'm sure you realise that I don't have

to answer any of your questions. You're in my play-pen now and you'll stay here until I say so!"

X

Crowley stepped up closer to Sam who was laid out spread-eagle against the wall, like

a fly on fly-paper, completely immobile.  
>X<p>

"You know, Moosie, I told your little angel friend that I wouldn't lay a hand on you but I didn't say

anything about a finger, and you are so very, very pretty." Crowley trailed a finger down Sam's cheek.

X

Sam felt a mix of surprise and nausea as Crowley's finger continued its course down his neck and chest

stopping just short of the top of his jeans.

X

"I'll bet Lucifer had a real good time with you in the Cage, little Sammy, even if you don't remember.

I don't usually accept other demons' cast offs but I might just make an exception for you," purred Crowley.

X

Sam felt the bile rise in his throat. It was true, he couldn't recall more than fleeting memories of his time

in the Cage, but at that moment his imagination was filling in some of the blanks.

X

§ Sam, Sammy! What's happening? Talk to me! § Dean's uneasiness was increasing.

He was conscious of the fact that he was powerless to help his brother, and that was a situation he did not deal well with.

X

Crowley stepped back from his prey and smirked maliciously.

"Sorry that you and Deannie are gonna be left out of all the fun but when this is all over

you and I can have a ripping time to ourselves. I'm sure you'll forgive me if I can't hang around

but you know how it is; things to do, people to see."

X

Sam collapsed in a boneless heap on the floor as soon as the demon disappeared.

X

§ Sam, what was all that about? What did that douche-bag say to you? §

X

Sam knew that his over-protective brother was waiting for an answer, so

he swallowed and calmed down his breathing and beating heart in order not

to overwhelm Dean with his unsteady emotions.

§ I'm fine, Dean. It's nothing. Crowley was just taunting me. He sure likes to hear himself speak. §

X

Sam tried to cover up the repulsion he had felt at the demon's suggestive caress.

Dean was already hyper-pissed. There was nothing to be gained in throwing more fuel onto the fire.

X

§ I'm just sorry that I couldn't get him to share any new information. §

§ Well. He isn't Cas. Angels are self-righteous dicks, but so gullible.

Crowley is more astute but that doesn't mean we can't take him down.

First of all we have to find a way out of Motel Heaven and Hell and regroup. §

X

§ Wow, you make it seem so easy. Just how do you intend we do that?

We don't even know where we are and if you hadn't noticed, Dean, there's no door. §

X

§ Well, Sammy, you're the smart one. Use all that Stanford education to come up

with a plan! § Dean's smirk echoed in Sam's head.

X

"Shut up, Jerk! I've already told you to stop it with the "Sam is smart, Dean is stupid" act.

You don't have to go to Stanford to be clever and you know it! §

Sam's affection and respect for his brother flowed through their link

causing Dean to send back the self-same sentiments.

X

§ Okay, Sam, now that we've stopped patting each other on the back, can we get on

with escaping from here! § was Dean's amused comeback.

X

X

§ Right, well, we know that there's no door but we also know from our last encounter with the beautiful room

that one can appear whenever the angels want. So we just have to figure out the mechanism. §

X

§ I like your optimism, Sammy, but we're talking angels here.

You remember "the all-powerful snap your fingers and make any shit happen angels." §

X

Sam's bitch-face made itself felt in Dean's head.

X

§ What I mean, Dean, is that as the angels always make use of the same room, it could be that

there is a certain logic to the way it functions.§

X

§ Yeah, Sammy. Maybe you're on to something. What if there is some sort of way

to make the door appear. I don't know like "open sesame" or something. Or perhaps some kind of angel spell. §

X

§ What about the banishing spell, Dean! § Sam's voice was getting excited.

§ We've always used it when there were actual angels around to banish, but what if it affects

anything angel-connected, even constructs. §

X

§ You might be on to something, Sam! § Dean's thoughts came through equally enthusiastic.

§ If this idea works, I'm gonna buy you extra rabbit-food for the next year and

I might even let you pick the music when you're riding shotgun. §

X

§ Shut up, Jerk! § was the miffed reply.

X

§ There's absolutely no guarantee that this'll work, Dean. It's just an idea. §

X

§ Yeah, well, it's not as if we have much else to go on. We'll give it a go. §

X

§ Now, as I'm not going anywhere without you Sam, let's put your geek brain

to work on how to swing you free from your Hell lodgings. §

X

§ What! No, Dean! If this works, and there's no guarantee it will, you go find the Impala and

get back to Bobby. Then you can think about getting me out. §

X

"No, way, Sasquatch! I said that we weren't going to be separated any more and we're not.

If we can't get you out too, I'm not going anywhere.

Purgatory be damned. We've already done our bit for humanity. §

X

§ Dean. § Sam's puppy eyes made themselves felt even in virtual form, his affection

for his brother pouring through the link.

X

§ Don't even try! § was Dean threatening reply. § No puppy-eyes and no chick-flick moments.

Get your mind back on the job. Now! Maybe we can apply the same concept to the Hell room.

With no demons present to exorcise, reciting the exorcism could affect it.

Let's give it a try, bro, § he finished.

X

§ You know, it's just so outlandish that it might work. § Sam sent back.

X

Dean got his knife out and made a shallow cut on the palm of his hand. "I've lost count of the times

I've done this. I'm lucky I still have a hand," he thought ironically to himself.

X

He busied himself designing the symbols correctly on the wall.

X

§ Right, Sam. Everything's ready with me. How about you? §

X

§ I only have to recite the exorcism, so I'm ok to go. §

X

§ You start with the Latin and when you're at the last line I'll put

my hand to the symbol See you soon, Sammy. §

X

§ Wow, Dean, I'm duly impressed by your positive approach to this! I hope you're still as chirpy

when we fail miserably! §

X

Sam started to recite the exorcism and when he reached the last two words, Dean slammed

his hand against the banishing symbol.

XXX

XXXXXTBCXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX


	10. Chapter 10

X

I don't know if kjdw who was an anonymous reviewer to my story Brothers and Bartenders is reading this story, but

I just want to say thanks anyway for the review. :)

X

* * *

><p>I also want to thank those who have put my stories on alert or favoured.<p>

X

* * *

><p>Sorry for any grammatical hash-ups that may have slipped through.<p>

* * *

><p>X<p>

Sam started to recite the exorcism and when he reached the last two words, Dean slammed his hand

against the symbol. §

X

Chapter Ten

* * *

><p>X<p>

During that last second both pairs of eyes had blinked, obeying the involuntary reflex action

that has been ingrained in the human race from its earliest days, hoping that the prison walls that held them

would have magically disappeared leaving them free men once again.

It only took an additional second for them to understand that what they had hoped would happen, simply hadn't.

The walls, red or green that they might be, were still standing, still keeping the brothers secure in their individual cells.

X

§ Sorry, Dean. I said it was a long-shot, but at least we tried. §

§ It's no big, Sam, we'll just have to think up something else. I'm only sorry that I had to cut

my palm open again. These wounds are pretty annoying and take ages to heal. §

§ Yeah § Sam concurred sympathetically. § Cuts on your palm really suck. §

X

The brothers slumped to the floor, falling into an unnatural silence, still disappointed by the failure

of their attempt to escape and deflated after the high they had been on during the execution of the rituals. .

X

Into the stillness of the green room came a sound so common-place to us now, potential harbinger of good or bad news,

but in this case, of surprise, to the startled young hunter who had the device in the right-hand pocket of his jeans.

The trill of the cell-phone broke the silence with its cheerful normality

X.

Dean pulled it out and looked at it with an expression of disgust on his face.

"What the hell, Dean!" he thought to himself.

He had completely forgotten about it, his attention taken up firstly by his concern for Sam

and then by Castiel's ramblings and their attempted escape.

X

His heart jumped when he read the name of the caller.

"Bobby, is that you?"

X

"Yeah, Idjit, Who'd you think it was? The Queen of England!

"Sam said he would call back after Visyak's seminar and bring me up to date and your brother's pretty precise

when it comes to calling back. When he didn't, I tried to contact him but his phone's dead.

So, you boys okay? "

X

"No...!...I mean,.. Yeah! We're all in one piece but we've been hi-jacked by Cas and I'm in the beautiful room

while Sam's in Hell's antechamber." the words tumbled out so uncharacteristically fast that they were nearly unintelligible.

X

Bobby must have been struck speechless for a moment because there was no answer forthcoming, but

the older hunter soon found his voice.

X

"What sort of trouble have you two dumb-asses got yourselves into now? I swear you two are gonna be the death of me.

A couple of days on your own and you're up to your necks in crap again."

X

Dean moved the phone a little further away from his ear as Bobby's yelling threatened to deafen him.

He waited until Bobby had vented his worry, recognising his yelling for what it was.

X

"You finished now, Man? You can kick our asses later but now we need your help to get out of here, wherever "here" is."

X

"Right," was the resigned reply. "Bring me up to date on everything, but slowly this time."

Dean took his time and explained their situation to their surrogate father, thanking the fates that his battery was fully charged.

X

"So, let me get this straight. Castiel and Crowley are working together to get their hands on a bundle of energy- giving souls

from Purgatory, but they don't know where the entrance is yet, and they hijacked and separated you two

to keep your asses out of the way in case you found out and put a spoke in their wheel. That right?"

X

"That just about sums it up Bobby," answered Dean tiredly.

X

"Well son, last time you told me that the angel room was in Van Nuys, so it's probably still on Earth somewhere, maybe

even in the same Van Nuys warehouse for all we know. Angels aren't really great on taking the initiative.

Sometimes things are simpler than we reckon.

Let me make a call to a hunter friend of mine down there and I'll get back to you."

X

"Bobby..! "

X

Bobby caught the undercurrent of preoccupation in Dean's voice.

X

"Don't worry, boy, even if something should stop us talking on the phone again, now that I know what's about, I'll manage

to track you idjits down just the same."

X

"Thanks, Bobby. Be careful. I don't know what Sam and I would do if anything ever happened to you."

X

"Are you growing lady parts, Dean? We gotta get you out of there before

irreparable damage is done to your psyche, boy," were Bobby's gruff parting words.

X

Dean closed the communication feeling uncharacteristically abandoned.

X

He felt Sam's enquiring tendrils rippling through his mind and he turned his attention to his little brother

who had been patiently waiting for Dean to finish.

Sam had heard Dean's side of the conversation but could only guess at Bobby's replies.

X

He brought Sam up to date on everything that had been discussed.

X

§ It's strange that your phone works and mine's dead, § mused Sam.

X

§ Not so strange, Sammy. Crowley's a lot shrewder than Cas, so he probably killed your cell dead when he brought you there.

Angels are so self-righteous about what they do, that they sometimes overlook the piddling details. §

x

§ So, § Sam continued § let's hope Bobby comes through. §

§ He will, Sam, he will, otherwise we are truly fried. Talking of fries, Sammy, how long has it been since we've eaten!

Maybe they're gonna starve us to death! §

§ Dean! I can't believe how you can even think of eating! §

§ Anytime's a good time for a burger, Sammy. You should know that by now. §

X

Although their bickering was light-hearted, Sam sensed that his brother was worried and although

he hadn't quizzed him about what Crowley had said to him earlier, he knew that Dean was terrified of Crowley losing his calm

and ripping his little brother to shreds.

X

The phone trilled again.

X

"Bobby?"

X

I got in touch with my contact in LA and he tells me that there's been a lot of demon omens and activity right smack

around the Van Nuys area... Now, you're gonna have to give me more detailed directions

to the warehouse the room was in. That area is full of them!"

X

Dean cast his mind back to the day he had almost said yes to Michael and tried to remember the exact location.

X

"When we came out I think we stumbled on to a Valerio Street, and it was an abandoned muffler factory."

X

Huh, pretty good description!" was Bobby's impressed reply.

X

"Yeah, I looked up info on the area after we got out. I was just curious, I guess."

X

"Well, let's hope we get lucky here, Dean, otherwise I'm afraid it's gonna take a while longer to get you out of

wherever you are. I'm not even gonna think about where Sam might be. I'll keep that one for later!" Bobby's voice was apprehensive.

"I'm gonna hang up now boy. Try and keep Sam from fretting too much."

X

"You got it, Bobby."

X

§ Hey, Sasquatch, Bobby's worrying about you brooding. You're not, are you? §

§ Why on earth would you think that, Dean! Sitting in Hell's waiting room is a friggin' walk in the park, §

X

§ Sorry, Dude, just trying to lighten the atmosphere. §

§ Yeah, well, remind me never to go to an exhibition of Bosch's paintings.

The way Crowley's got them hanging all around this room really creeps me out. § was Sam's crestfallen reply.

X

§ Hang in there, Sammy; Bobby'll get us out of this mess. § Dean tried to infuse as much optimism as he could into his mind-voice

and he accompanied it with a wave of comforting assurance.

The brothers settled down to wait, soothed by their link.

X

Dean consulted his watch.

According to it, they had been here for twenty-three hours although he knew

that time was a variable when dealing with angels and demons.

He jumped to attention on hearing noises coming from beyond the confines of the room and he quickly pressed his ear

to the wall, hoping to interpret just what was going on.

X

§ Sammy, § he reached out to his brother.§ Something seems to be happening outside the room. §

X

§ Be careful, Dean, § was Sam's concerned reply.

X

§ Don't worry, Mom! §

X

§ Jerk! §

X

Dean pushed his ear even closer to the wall and found himself sprawled ungainly on the floor of the same dirty warehouse

he had been in once before, with the bearded smiling face of Bobby's hunter friend staring down at him.

X

"Winchester, I presume!"

XXXXXX TBC XXXXXXXXXX


	11. Chapter 11

Dean pushed his ear even closer to the wall and found himself sprawled ungainly on

the floor of the same dirty warehouse he had been in once before, with

the bearded smiling face of Bobby's hunter friend staring down at him.

"Winchester, I presume!"

* * *

><p>I don't own anything except maybe "Matt Valerio" :(<p>

X

Chapter Eleven

X

"Well," thought Dean to himself. " Even when the overall luck is good, there's always a grey lining.

What were the odds that I'd put my ear right where the door was going to be pulled open!"

X

§ Dean, what's happening? Are you okay? § Sam's worried voice reverberated anxiously in his mind.

§ I'm fine, Sam. The only thing that's bruised is my dignity. §

X

He looked up at the hunter standing over him.

"Thanks, man. I owe you one."

"Nah, Winchester. It's me who owes Bobby a list of favours as long as my arm. Just glad I could help out."

Dean took the arm that guy proffered and pulled himself up.

X

"You got a name or what?"

"Matt Valerio"

"Valerio, as in the name of the street?"

X

"Yeah, great-great granddad back in the day.

Right, now that we're done with the social graces, I'd say

it was time to high-tail it out of here."

X

"Just a second...! Did you just walk in here? No guards, nothing?" quizzed Dean.

"Two demons at the entrance and two inside," was the laconic reply"

"And…you, what…just waltzed right in?"

X

"You better believe it!"

X

"I might if you explain it to me." was Dean's unconvinced reply.

X

"Winchester, I've only just met you and you're already wearin' me out.

I hate to think of the state Bobby must be in, having to deal with you all the time."

X

Dean's eye-roll was in the running to take over the championship from his brother

as he traipsed along behind the hunter towards the exit.

X

§ Sammy, don't worry. I'm gonna get you out from wherever you are. Just hang in there bro. §

§ I'm not going anywhere, Dean. § was the disheartened reply.

X

To this day Dean isn't sure what made him turn around and go back towards the room

that he had been imprisoned in, but some gut feeling told him that walking out of the warehouse

was the wrong thing to do.

The soles of his worn-down boots left a trail on the dusty warehouse floor

as he doubled back towards the ex-green room, his instinct leading him to …!

X

"Hey, Winchester. Where are you going? We gotta get out of here while we still can," Valerio spluttered in alarm,

as Dean disappeared around the corner of the shack that had been his prison until a few minutes earlier.

X

There, in all its glory, was an exact copy of the one at his back.

X

"Son…of…a…bitch!" was the heart-felt epithet.

He took up position in front of the door, unsure of what he would find on the other side.

He pulled it open and found himself almost doubled in two by a powerful punch to the stomach.

§ Sam, it's me, dumb-ass! §

§ Dean! What the hell! Why didn't you warn me? Telepathy, remember! §

X

§ I didn't want to get your hopes up if it didn't play out," answered Dean, the need

to catch his breath from the after- effects of Sam's gut-punch coming through even in his mind-voice.

X

Sam bitch-faced his wheezy brother while holding onto him and helping him out of the open doorway, leaving

the red-tinged room at his back with heart-felt relief.

X

§ Sammy, I… §

§ Same here, man… §

X

Their link emphasising their relief and solace in being safely together again.

X

Sam lifted his eyes from this brother and met the gaze of the unknown hunter

who was studying them attentively.

X

"Uh, Sam. This Matt Valerio, a hunter friend of Bobby's.

He's the one that pulled my ass out of Castiel's little waiting room. "

"Hey, thanks, man," was Sam's heartfelt pronouncement.

Valerio exhibited an eye-roll that was up there with the best of them.

X

"I swear to God that if I didn't know better I'd wager that you two want to finish up

back in those two shoe boxes again. Can we get out of here? Now!"

X

§ Where did you pick him up, Dean, § was Sam's amused question.

§ Has he been taking lessons in snark from Bobby? §

§ He can snark all he wants, Sammy. I'd even let him drive the Impala, well, theoretically, anyway. §

§ Wow, I can't believe you just said that, Dean... You bitch if I even breathe on her. §

Dean uttered the now standard reply. § Shut up, Sasquatch! §

X

If Valerio was intrigued by the silence of the two men following him, he never made mention of it.

They hastened their steps past the lifeless meat-suits of the demons that had been on guard duty,

as Valerio led them to a swanky Mercedes parked a few blocks from the warehouse.

X

Sam and Dean exchanged a mental § Huh §

"Mount up, boys. We've dawdled around here too long as it is."

They threw themselves onto the luxurious leather seats as Matt took off at

breakneck speed towards the northern boundaries of the city.

He drew up behind a run of the mill family car parked in a quiet side-street.

X

"There's your ride guys. It should get you wherever you need to go.

Just leave it with Bobby when you're finished. He probably needs a new set of wheels anyway."

X

He dropped a car key into Dean's hand.

X

"Really, man, this is too much. We can't take your car. You've already saved our asses."

" Yeah, Sam chirped in, We can take a train or something, Mr Valerio."

X

"The name's Matt. It's simple, I don't need the car and you do. End of story.

"Now, you two getting out or not? I got better things to do than baby-sit a couple of hunters."

X

"Thanks, Matt. We're in your debt. If you ever need our help, Bobby'll know where to find us." was Sam's parting reply.

"By the way just how did you take out those demons on your own, " enquired Dean, genuinely curious.

"Maybe one day, Winchester, maybe one day," smirked Matt, and with that he took off with a roar of the powerful engine

leaving the brothers wondering what kind of hunter they had just run into.

X

X

X

Crowley's Hell-side Office.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"My Lord," the lower-demon stuttered terrified, knowing that the news

he was bringing signed his death warrant, " the Winchesters have escaped."

The demon was taken-aback as Crowley took the news with unsettling calm.

X

"I told that idiot angel that the Winchesters had to be put down like the dogs they are, but no,

"We can't kill Dean and Sam. They're my friends." parodied Crowley, mocking Castiel's words.

"He wouldn't listen when I warned him and now those two are on the loose again.

Before, they weren't sure of what we were planning but now they know everything.

Great work!I should have known better than to depend on one of those imbecilic self-righteous dicks."

X

The demon howled in agony as Crowley disintegrated him slowly into dust.

X

XXXXXXXXXXXX TBC XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Thanks to everyone who read my ramblings.

Sorry for any mistakes that have slipped through.

Enjoy. :)


	12. Chapter 12

Great work! I should have known better than to depend on one of those imbecilic self-righteous dicks."

The demon howled in agony as Crowley disintegrated him slowly into dust.

X

X

Chapter Twelve

* * *

><p>X<p>

The car sped through the night along the back roads of America, its wheels eating up the miles

towards Bushville, Iowa where it would make a stop; hopefully to re-unite its occupants

with a very important member of their family, the Impala.

The younger of the nondescript car's occupants was curled up in the passenger seat,

as much as this was humanly possible for a man of his height; his head pressed against the car window

and his legs all akimbo, one ending up practically on the accelerator that his brother was pressing to the floor

in an attempt to make the vehicle fly even faster.

X

Dean enjoyed driving through the night.

There was less traffic, especially on these roads, and it gave him time to get his thoughts in order and well,... brood.

Although brooding was his brother's prerogative and Dean was the one who embodied the "action man" of the two,

he was as good at brooding as Sam was, he was just more expert at pushing it all down and hiding it.

X

He was too scarred by the life he had led to be optimistic any more.

He knew that he and Sam had been witness to and survived the most incredible things; Life, Death, Heaven, Hell, Future, Past.

He'd been an old-age pensioner, been turned into a vampire, still a sore topic with Sam, who would turn

the puppy eyes of doom on him and profuse his umpteenth apology with a litany of "sorry Dean" …..!

X

The list was endless.

"Enough!" he chided himself mentally.

X

Beside him his brother stirred, long limbs twitching, immersed in dreams or more likely nightmares.

Dean resisted the ingrained "big brother protects Sammy" temptation to enter his brother's mind

and stand with him there too, but they had an unspoken pact not to invade one another's thoughts without consent,

unless they were in danger and, well… Sam was asleep at his side!

X

He brought his mind back to yesterday and went over what had occurred.

Castiel had been eavesdropping on them, had heard Sam putting things together, remembering little details

such as it being the Angel who had pulled him out of Hell and not Crowley; he had been afraid that

Dean and Sam would put everything together and come to the correct conclusion,

that Cas was in cahoots with Crowley to get purgatory souls for his energy machine.

X

If he studied the situation in a detached manner however, he could understand Castiel's tactic.

On his own he was too weak to take on Raphael and so he allied himself with the King of Hell who was powerful in his own right;

but Crowley was a demon and demons never do anything out of the goodness of their heart.

X

As a friend however, he couldn't understand why Castiel had acted as he had towards him and Sam.

Why hadn't he come to him for help? Why hadn't he told him about Sam?

They could have gotten his soul out sooner and there would have been no need for a wall.

Dean knew he was a good tactician.

He could and would have helped Castiel with his war in heaven.

Castiel was ingenuous and naïve and would have benefited from his and Sam's expertise and skills.

X

Imprisoning him in the same warehouse as before, had been careless, and Crowley placing

his own "red room" in proximity of his, even more incautious.

It had obviously been Castiel's idea, for Dean suspected that Crowley would have much preferred killing them

or at least banishing them to some prison on the Moon!

X

His thoughts were interrupted by the signpost of "Welcome to Bushville."

X

He hoped his Baby was still where she had been parked in the lot outside the University.

He didn't think that either Castiel or Crowley could be afraid of the Impala!

X

He stopped just inside the City Limits and nudged his brother. "Rise and shine, princess. You've arrived at the ball."

Sam blinked in the habitual way he had, needing a few minutes to adjust to reality.

X

"Dean! Where are we?" was the slurred demand.

"We're here to get my Baby,"

Sam's eyes focused and regarded him reproachfully. "Dude, we discussed this and

I said that we would have been better to have gone directly to Bobby's.

They'll have discovered that we've escaped by now and be keeping an eye on the Impala in case we show up there.

We have to get to Sioux Falls and regroup. Bobby has intensified his anti-angel sigils and wards. We'll be safe there."

"But Sam…!"

"We can't risk it Dean! Even Valerio told us to drive directly to Bobby's."

"I know, Sam but maybe..."

"No Dean. We were lucky this time but if we fall into Crowley's clutches again, he won't be so understanding

and I can tell you that all that bonhomie he exhibits when he shows up is all crap.

If he could have, he would have torn me to shreds in that room of his, and taken great pleasure in it

and I'm sure having both of us in his hands would double the dose!"

X

Dean felt his hackles rise at the thought of his little brother at the mercy of Crowley;

God, hadn't the kid suffered enough in the Cage for one hundred and eighty years.

Dean had been privy to the horrors of Hell and knew he would never allow Sam to suffer through that again.

Somewhere dark and deep inside him he was aware that he would drive them both off a cliff together first.

X

He thought of the Impala.

He had wanted to ignore Sam's warning but he realised that it was more than convincing.

Much as he loved his baby and ached to have her wheels under his ass, she just couldn't vie with his brother's well-being.

Heavy-hearted, he turned the car around and set out for North Dakota.

X

Sam sent out a wave of understanding and sympathy through their link and Dean took comfort from his brother's love.

X

A few hours later they pulled up into Bobby's yard.

Sam had stayed awake, alternating between keeping up a light–hearted bickering with his sibling

and comforting him mentally for his temporary loss of his Baby.

X

He saw Bobby in the door-way, waiting to greet them as he always did when he heard the roar of the Impala.

This time there was no Impala but Bobby was still at the door.

Maybe he wasn't just attuned to the arrival of the Impala, but also to his boys!

X

XXXXXXXX TBC XXXXXXXXXX

X

Sorry for any of those slippery mistakes that got through.


	13. Chapter 13

I've ignored this story a bit because I've been dedicating my attention to my other AU, but I haven't forgotten about it.

So, here's a little chapter to update.

§-§ means the brothers are communicating telepathically.

* * *

><p>X<p>

Chapter Thirteen.

X

* * *

><p>X<p>

Bobby eyed the unfamiliar car as it came to a stop outside his front door.

Maybe it wasn't the Impala but that sure was his boys getting out of it.

X

While he felt affection for the classic car he would never have put its well-being before that of Sam or Dean,

so he didn't suffer any of Dean's heartbreak at having to use another vehicle to transport himself and his sibling home.

He sent off a mental thank you to his hunting colleague Valerio for getting his two boys out safe and sound.

All debts had been paid now, although he knew the California hunter would never deny his help if ever Bobby had need of it.

X

"Bobby," they smiled in unison, as first one then the other took him in a heart-felt hug.

They were all turning into ladies in their old age, he thought.

Well, Sam had always been the touchy-feely one, but now even the unchick-flicky Dean and he himself were no longer adverse to a good ol' hug.

X

"Get your asses inside, you idjits. The yard isn't as protected as the house.

Nothing supernatural should be able to get in here now.

If they want to destroy the place with us in it, they'll just have to drop a bomb on it!"

X

"Shut up, Bobby, some of those fuglies might just take you up on that. Seems there's been a lot of eves-dropping going on lately!

Come on Sam, let's go clean up and we'll tell Bobby all about it. "

X

When the two had brought the older hunter up to date on their doings, he lifted his cap, scratched his head

and replaced the worn headgear back in place as he assimilated what he had been told.

X

"Well, now that's some story you've been telling me, boys.

Okay, I get Castiel-Crowley being in cahoots but what's Sam got to do with anything?

What would Castiel want from him? Once he gets the purgatory souls he'll be flying."

X

"I don't know Bobby," Dean answered, as he looked over affectionately at his sibling.

"Why would Cas have it in for you Sammy? Is there something you haven't been telling me, dude?" he scolded fondly.

X

"What... no, Dean! Nothing I can remember anyway…." Then he stopped, realising that Dean was teasing him.

Their telepathic bond had opened up their minds to each other and Dean knew exactly what he remembered!

X

§ Jerk! §

§ Little Bitch! Trying to hide stuff from me were you! §

X

Sam's telepathic bitch face rolled over into his mind and made him grin all the more, and he felt Bobby's amused eyes watching their silent pantomime.

X

"Bobby I meant to ask you about the hunter that got us out of the warehouse;

he got rid of the demon guards good-style although he wouldn't tell us how he did it, and he seemed a nice guy too."

X

"Yeah," butted in Dean. "Real powerful car he had, not half as pretty as my baby but certainly not bad for a hunter!"

"Well, he's not your usual run of the mill hunter," explained Bobby." In fact he's one of a kind. He tell you his name?"

X

"Yeah, Matt Valerio," confirmed Sam.

"Ring any bells, dumb-dumbs," asked Bobby.

X

"The two brothers shrugged their shoulders and exchanged bemused glances.

X

"That just shows you how observant you two "experienced " hunters are.

You've seen his name dozens of times," he chided as he walked over to the DVD player and picked one up.

"Catch!"

X

"Is he an actor," guessed Dean.

"Nope! Guess again!"

X

"His eyes raked down the cover of the DVD.

But Sam beat him to it. "Matthew Valerio, the famous film producer."

X

"An extra cookie for Sam," quipped Bobby.

X

"What the Hell, Bobby! Hunters keep out of the headlines and this guy does everything he can to be in them.

You can't be serious," added Dean unbelievingly.

X

"Well, now nobody knows he's a hunter, Dean. I suppose you could say it's like a secret identity"

A look of sheer admiration came over Dean's face and Sam could feel his brother's hero-worship vibes flooding his mind.

X

"Dude! He's the Batman of the hunting world, just like Bruce Wayne," was Dean's awed comment.

X

"Well I suppose you could put it like that," acknowledged Bobby, a grin spreading over his face at Dean's admired expression.

X

"Awesome, tell me more!"

X

"Well all I know is that his ancestor was one of the first to set foot in the newly discovered Americas, a bit like your own forefathers, the Campbells.

He was on the run from the Papal State and tried to get as far away from there as possible.

Seems the family was in the hunting business even then and it was probably a lot more dangerous than now, what with the witch-burning and all.

Anyways the family accumulated riches through the generations and they just kept the family business in the back-ground,

coming out anonymously when something evil was on the loose."

X

Sam rolled his eyes as Dean sat entranced by Bobby's words.

X

§ Don't tell me that you've knocked Dr. Sexy down to second place now in your top ten, Dean and put Matt at number one. §

§ Sam! A real live hunter-Batman! How can you sit there unimpressed! §

X

§ I'm so unimpressed Dean, that I'm going off to bed and please keep your fan boy fawnings to yourself.

I do NOT want to have Valerio's face in my mind all night long, even although I can't thank him enough for having saved our bacon. §

X

Sam made his good-nights to Bobby and went off the room he shared with his sibling, shaking his head in amusement.

Sometimes his badass hunter of a brother reverted back to a five year old; but in his heart he was happy that Matt's life story had put a smile

on Dean's face, and taken his mind off this muddled up situation with Castiel, Crowley and the souls.

For tonight however, he only wanted to put his head down on a pillow and fall into a dreamless sleep.

X

§ Sweet dreams, Sasquatch. §

§ Dude, get out of my head. I don't want to hear another word about Matt for at least ten hours. D'you think you can manage that?§

§You know how I love teasing you, bitch! You rise so easily to the bait!

I promise; no Matt for ten hours but after I can't guarantee you anything. §

§ Jerk! §

§ Good night, Sammy! §

X

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX TBC XXXXXXXXXXXXX


	14. Chapter 14

Thanks to those who reviewed my last chapter. :)

Your thoughts, as always, are much appreciated.

* * *

><p>X<p>

Chapter Fourteen.

* * *

><p>X<p>

Some time later Dean said his own good-nights to Bobby and joined his brother in their shared room.

Sam was sleeping like a baby, his long limbs scattered about the bed, sign that his rest was peaceful, for when he was hurt or miserable

he curled his ginormous frame into the littlest of balls.

His hair was no longer sitting primly in the style he had taken to wearing lately but all mussed up by sleep,

bringing back fond memories of how it used to be when Sam was younger, before all the tragic escalation of the demon blood affair;

when things if not easier, were at least simpler, not yet having been complicated by the appearance of Castiel and the Heavenly Hordes.

X

Dean had never possessed many certainties in his life since his mother died.

He could count them on one hand; his father, the Impala, the family business, shabby motel rooms and Sam. He had put his brother's name last

on his little list but he knew it wasn't that way at all.

Sam had been, was and always would be the one certainty in his sorry existence and he would defend him with his life, heart, mind and body.

He sent out a soothing wave of affection and calm to his brother's sleeping mind and saw Sam nestle himself more comfortably into his covers

at the instinctive unconscious recognition of it, then he himself fell into the same dreamless sleep as his brother,

all thoughts of Batman-Matt expunged from his mind..

X

X

Sam entered the untidy kitchen to the aroma of Bobby's freshly brewed coffee titillating his olfactory senses.

"Have your telepathic powers awoken too, Bobby," he joked as the older man spooned a steaming breakfast on to a plate

and set it down on the table.

"Don't need to be a mind reader to know what time you usually get your butt down here, and I'll give Dean another five minutes before his ass joins yours

at the breakfast table. Want to take a little wager?

But no cheating now; don't you go warning him through that link of yours," Bobby admonished.

X

Sam gave him a dimpled smile and sat down. "Cross my heart and hope to die!" was his childish rejoinder.

X

Like well-oiled clockwork, four minutes and 48 seconds later Dean sauntered in through the kitchen door, face still woozy from sleep.

"Mmm, that smells good, Bobby," were his first words, and he couldn't understand why both Sam and Bobby broke into guffaws at his prompt appearance.

X

"Whaa..! Did I say something funny? What's with the glee?" and he stood there scratching his head at the inexplicable hilarity

of the other two occupants of the kitchen.

X

Sam felt his brother's questioning probe in his mind but he affectionately shut him out wanting to keep the details for further use as a baiting moment

and Dean retreated good-naturedly at his brother's unwillingness to share the joke.

"What the Hell," he shrugged to himself, "If they're both laughing it can't be anything bad. Let them keep their little secret!" and he sat down

and polished off all that was on offer on Bobby's table.

X

X

X

That Crowley was not in the best of moods would be an understatement; he had gone along with the angel's stupid idea just to keep him happy,

for he still needed his allegiance to get his hands on all those inviting souls just waiting to be plundered in Purgatory,

but what he had told the Winchesters at the time about annexing Purgatory to his own Hell hadn't been a lie; along with the souls

he would become King of Purgatory too.

X

An enticing enough reason for him to keep in with Castiel, for the time being anyway, but all this fawning over the Winchesters was getting on his nerves.

They were only a couple of weak humans after all, even if not quite your normal run-of the mill variety.

Okay, they seemed to bounce back from death every second day but that didn't mean they were immune to it.

There was no reason to think that if they died this time they would come back.

He got the sneaky feeling however, that there was something that Castiel wasn't telling him, something to do with those pretty-boy pin-ups!

X

X

Castiel wasn't any happier than Crowley about the Winchesters' escape. He had thought that his idea was perfect.

The two brothers were at their weakest when separated and in that way Dean could have been kept uninformed of Sam's part in his plan.

He knew that Dean would never agree to what he had in mind for his brother and by the time the hunter had come to be aware of it,

it would have been too late for him to change anything.

Afterwards there was nothing he could have done in any case, as Castiel would have become so powerful as to be paralleled to God.

X

He could not fathom how Dean and Sam had escaped from their prisons.

He knew that Crowley has set an excessive amount of demons to guard the two rooms.

It would have taken much power to kill all those guardians and free Dean and even then, how had Dean understood that Sam was in the same warehouse?

Castiel had considered that to be an ingenious little detail to his plan, for even if one managed to escape they would never have imagined that

the other could have been held so near at hand.

X

He sighed.

As usual he continued to underestimate the brothers; he wondered if Crowley wasn't right this time; maybe it would just have been better to kill them

and get it over with, but he knew that killing Dean would be very upsetting for him.

He had helped pull him out of Hell and felt an instinctive affinity with him.

X

As for Sam, he was glad that no such a bond existed and never could, for although he had averted the Apocalypse by sacrificing himself,

the younger Winchester still carried the original sin of being tainted with demon blood and chosen as the heir to Hell,

something that Castiel just couldn't cancel from his angelic essence.

X

X

X

The big, bad, tainted, ex-heir to Hell was sitting placidly at the side of his brother watching one of Valerio's films on TV

waiting for Bobby to finish up with a customer in the yard.

Strange as it seemed, he did run a legit scrap business along with his hunting.

"Hmm," mused Dean. "I never thought of it that way, but Bobby's a kind of Batman too, only without the Wayne or Valerio riches."

X

§ When are you going to stop all this Batman stuff? § Sam's voice disturbed his musings.

§ Hey, you don't have to listen in if you don't like it, dude! You weren't too disturbed about shutting me out this morning,

when you and Bobby were sharing a joke at my expense. §

§ Don't tell me you were offended, Dean! It was just a harmless piece of fun. §

§ Yeah, Well, It's not too sweet when you get laughed at without knowing why. §

X

Sam's huffed sigh came through the link.

§ Bobby made a wager that you would appear in the kitchen five minutes after I did and he only erred by two seconds, soo…, it was funny! That's all! §

X

Dean snorted.

§ What's funny about that Sam? I always wake up right after you and come straight down to the kitchen. Been doing it since you were a kid.

Nothing to laugh at there. §

§ I know, Dean. It wasn't funny until Bobby pointed it out and took a bet on it, then it was hilarious. § smirked Sam with a wolfish grin.

X

§ And you've got the gall to lecture me about Batman! § Dean gifted his brother with one of his best eye-rolls.

X

Bobby's voice broke into the room, drowning out the background noise of the TV. "I swear it's harder to close a sale with these guys

than it is to interrogate a demon," he moaned.

X

"You boys come up with any ideas while I've been gone?"

The two brothers exchanged a guilty glance.

"Yeah, Bobby, but we wanted to wait for you before …"

X

"I get it; you two are as easy to read as a book. You haven't been giving a whit of your energies to this, have you?

Never mind get your butts over here and let's go over it all again!"

X

X  
>A short time later all semblance of fun was gone from the three as they sat discussing the situation.<p>

They found themselves going round and round in circles until Sam's laptop pinged the arrival of an E-mail.

X

It was from Dr, Visyak sending him the info he had asked for about her lecture.

Sam skimmed enthusiastically through the contents, impressed by the amount of new information he was receiving. He turned the lap-top towards Bobby.

"Ever hear of any of these supernatural creatures Bobby?" he asked.

Bobby's face never changed expression as it studied the screen but when he lifted his head

he simply announced, "I think that a little visit to my old friend Eleanor might be in order."

X  
>XXXXXXXX TBC XXXXXXXXXXXXXX<p> 


	15. Chapter 15

X

Thanks to all those who have favoured, alerted and reviewed. :)

X

Chapter Fifteen.

* * *

><p>X<p>

San Francisco, California, Dr Visyak's house.

X

The two nondescript cars drew up outside the lovely home of Eleanor Visyak.

Bobby had phoned ahead announcing their arrival and Visyak had agreed to see them.

X

The three had decided that it was wiser to journey in two separate vehicles as Castiel and Crowley were probably still looking for them

and there was no point it putting all the "eggs" in one basket as it were.

Sam had offered to drive alone; his link with Dean keeping them constantly in touch and so leaving Dean to keep Bobby company in the other car

but Dean would have none of it; if anything was going to snatch Sam, he wanted to be right next to him.

X

48 hours ago

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Bobby had kept them up all through the night searching through his most ancient tomes, trying to get any kind of info on the series of creatures

that Visyak had detailed in her e-mails to Sam but try as they might, nothing but the most obscure references to any of the aforesaid creatures

could be found in Bobby's library.

X

"That does it! There is definitely something going on here.

How can Eleanor have such detailed synopses on these creatures if my lore books don't give them more than a half mention?

Where did she get this information from?

I'd say a little visit to the lady is definitely in order" was Bobby's final conclusion.

X

§ Hey, Sammy. Maybe you'll get to try out that individual tuition she was offering you after all. §

§ Shut .up. Dean! §

§ I didn't even open my mouth, Sasquatch. §

§ Very funny, Dude! §

X

Dean's face gave nothing away, as outwardly he seemed completely concentrated on Bobby's words but the turn of Sam's head

as he physically delivered a bitch-face to his sibling was not lost on the older man, who shook his head in exasperation.

Wasn't it enough that these two had lived in each other's pockets since they were kids? Now they were living in each other's minds too!

X

"Are you idjits listening to a word I'm saying or are your wits occupied elsewhere?"

Sam guiltily turned his gaze back to the older man. "Sorry, Bobby, it's just than Dean thinks he's so funny when he butts in with his stupid remarks."

X

"Right." Bobby glanced over at Dean who looked the picture of innocence.

"We'll leave tomorrow at first light if that's okay with you boys. No harm in stocking up on some anti-angel and demon wards to take with us

in the hope that we even manage to reach California without getting waylaid on the journey."

X

"That's fine for me Bobby, I could do with another night's rest anyway," replied Dean as he walked out into the yard

desperate for a breath of fresh air after all the research in Bobby's dusty library.

X

Sam pottered about with his computer for a few minutes, then followed his brother outside

where he found him pacing up and down in the long avenues between the rows of old cars.

Ribbons of pink had started to colour the night sky as the sun began its rise into a new day.

He matched his stride to his brother's, both comfortable in the silence of the early morning,

both wondering what tomorrow would bring to the Winchester brothers.

They perched themselves on the hood of one of the old rusty vehicles that filled the yard and watched as the sun came into its fullness,

neither moving an inch until the aroma of breakfast and Bobby's voice, called them back into the house.

X

X

Back to California.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Dr Visyak invited them in rather begrudgingly, Dean thought, but she had agreed to see them and that was something.

It was always better to get a person's collaboration rather than have to break into their home and go through their things,

although it wasn't as if they hadn't done it dozens of times before!

X

He saw Sam plaster his most unthreatening puppy expression on his face.

§ Way to go Sammy. Give it to her, woof, woof! §

§ Dean…! §

X

"Bobby," she embarked, "Its not that I'm unhappy to see you but I'm going through a really busy spell at the moment,

between my series of lectures and my university obligations.

What's so important that you have to speak to me right now?"

X

"I'm sorry if it's a bad time, Eleanor but there are few things I'd like to ask you about the lore

you sent out to Sam the other day…" he indicated the younger Winchester with his head, causing Visyak's appreciative glance to fall on him.

She turned her attention back to Bobby and waited patiently for him to go on.

"…and well, it's very unique information; in fact it's so unique that I can't find hide nor hair of it in any of my own books."

X

"So?" she commented casually. "It means that my fonts are more exhaustive than yours.

You're not going to tell me that you came all the way here just for that?"

X

"Care to share your fonts with me then, Eleanor? It would signify a lot to us."

X

"Look, Bobby, I would if I could but it's just not possible.

So if that's everything…! I'm going to be late for the university."

And she turned away as if to accompany them to the door but found the way blocked by the two Winchesters.

X

"Dr. Visyak, " began Sam purposefully.

"It's very important for us to know the provenance of those creatures you described, because as they don't seem to exist in the lore for Heaven or Hell,

they may be pertinent to Purgatory and we're trying to find out as much as we can about it."

"Lives may be danger and we need more information."

X

A look of cautious surprise came over her face.

"What has Purgatory got to do with you, or with any of this? No-one even knows if it really exists," she parried.

X

Sam decided to come right to the point otherwise this whole conversation could turn into one big stalemate.

"There may be entities who are trying to open the door to Purgatory for their own nefarious purposes

and if there are any new facts you can give us, it might help to avoid a catastrophic situation," he elaborated earnestly.

X

The three men saw that she had been taken aback by Sam's revelation and she flopped bonelessly down onto the near-by sofa.

X

"Open Purgatory, What are you blabbing about? That would be disastrous!"

X

"Why?" demanded Dean impatiently, having instinctively grasped that the lady knew much more than she was letting on.

X

"Come on Eleanor," broke in Bobby. "If you know anything, share it with us. You ought to know me well enough by now to realise that I can keep a secret."

X

Eleanor stood and walked slowly towards the window, her back to her guests.

"Purgatory," she began, " is where the souls of monsters go when they die and it's filled with the most frightening and unimaginable mix of beings;

creatures of your wildest nightmares; and if there is anyone stupid enough to let them out they will reduce the Earth and all its inhabitants

at best to slaves, and at worst to food.

The most dangerous of all are the Leviathans, the most ancient creatures to inhabit Purgatory and they are the ones who will wreak unending terror

if they are released"

X

§ Dean, this can't be true, for how could Cas even consider opening Purgatory if he knows half of what we've just been told? §

Sam's mind voice flowed agitatedly over Dean.

§ Maybe he doesn't, Sam. Or maybe he's just so desperate to conquer Heaven that he doesn't care if the Earth goes up in smoke.

Remember that for a while back there he was on the Apocalypse band-wagon too; perhaps he doesn't see it as such a big problem any more.§

X

§ That's illogical, Dean! Cas said that he wanted to defeat Raphael to keep him from doing that very thing; starting the Apocalypse I mean. §

Dean's mental shrug reverberated in Sam's mind.

§ Cas kidnapped us both, isolated us in separate cells and left you at the mercy of Crowley.

Why do that in the first place?

He could just have kept quiet about the whole thing and we would never have had anything except your fleeting memory of him having pulled you

out of Hell; something that I'm sure he could have explained away as you having had a weird dream or a hallucination or whatever.

No Sam!

He kidnapped and separated us for a precise reason and I'm ever more convinced that it has to do with opening Purgatory. §

"And with you, Sammy," but he kept those four words to himself, for if Castiel of Crowley laid a finger on his brother, there would be Hell to pay!

X

He turned his attention away from his sibling just in time to hear Bobby ask Eleanor if she had any idea what would be needed

to open a hypothetical doorway to Purgatory, and to feel his blood turn to ice when she produced an answer to the question.

X

"it is said that there is a spell but that the most important ingredient necessary is the purest of souls;

a soul which has suffered the tortures of Hell the longest without becoming a demon, but yet possesses at its core the stench of demon blood.

A soul with a mix of the sacred and profane if you like, but no such a soul exists, so there is no danger of Purgatory ever being opened."

X

Bobby grunted out the one word "Balls," and simultaneously Dean's horrified gaze turned to his little brother

whose soul fit exactly that description down to a tee; a little brother whose face had paled to the colour of driven snow.

X

§ Dean. § was Sam's ever so vulnerable cry through their link.

§ Son of a Bitch, Sam! Cas and Crowley are after your soul to open the gates to Purgatory.§

X

XXXXXXXXXXX TBC XXXXXXXXXXXX


	16. Chapter 16

To "huntergirl" and all those who are waiting for my other story to update, I'll get back to it as soon as I can. :)

* * *

><p>X<p>

§ Dean. § was Sam's ever so vulnerable cry through their link.

§ Son of a Bitch, Sam. Cas and Crowley are after your soul §

* * *

><p>Chapter Sixteen<p>

* * *

><p>X<p>

Dean couldn't believe in the cruelty of what he was hearing, his brain trying to make sense of it all;

but really it was becoming oh so clear now.

He could see it playing out in his mind as if he was the spectator of a film, or as if he had actually witnessed it himself.

X

Crowley and Cas had cooked up this little scheme.

Who had recruited who; at this point was of no importance.

X

Crowley had wanted the Alphas caught in order to get the location of Purgatory from them, by whatever means necessary,

and Castiel had done his bit by bringing back Samuel, one of the most experienced hunters of all to track them down,

and then Sammy himself with the advantage of his strong young body, intelligence and capability with modern methods of computerised research,

to partner the elder and cover him in his hunts.

X

Castiel though, when he had gone to pull out Sam from the Cage, something which was completely possible, for the Cage had been constructed

to keep archangels imprisoned, not humans or human souls, had first conversed with Michael through the bars.

Sam had seen him.

Michael had made Cas aware of the unusualness of Sam's hybrid soul and also that Lucifer would not be in the least bit happy to let Sam

out of his clutches scot-free, after the little trick he had pulled on him at Stull Cemetery.

X

In the end they had come to a compromise. Castiel could take Sam's body with all his hunting experience and physical capabilities intact, to flank Samuel,

Lucifer would keep Sam's soul to torture and vent his spleen on as he wished, and in any case Sam's unique soul would remain in their secure hands.

You never know when it could come in useful!

X

The only wild card in the plan was Dean.

Dean would eventually have realised that Sam without his soul wasn't his normal self, for no-one knew his brother as intimately as Dean did!

Castiel would just have had to make sure that the two never met.

X

Cas had probably hoped that Dean's new life with Lisa and Ben would have distracted his mind from the fate of his brother and left him,

if not ecstatically happy then at least contented with his lot.

X

Things never go as smoothly as expected however and after a year, fate would have it that the two brothers encountered each other

and soulless or not, Sam felt drawn to his sibling, choosing to stay near him;

and for Dean of course, with the appearance of his little brother, any hope of a "normal" life with Lisa and Ben was consigned to oblivion.

Dean lived and died only for Sam. It was a fact of life, unchangeable in the scheme of things.

X

Then Dean himself, continuing his own personal recounting of the facts, had put a spanner in the works by intervening with Death

who for reasons known only to himself, had granted Dean's wish to get Sam's soul back out of the Cage,

and in so doing had upset the Heavenly–Hellish duo's plans.

X

Dean's virtual re-enactment of the whole affair was eerily accurate, and the look he got from Sam

who had been listening in to everything Dean had been elaborating, confirmed that he was in perfect agreement with his brother.

X

X

X

Dean pulled his attention back to the reality of the moment and addressed the little detail that had been niggling him

since Visyak had started giving out information.

Just how did she know all this stuff about Purgatory when even Michael hadn't known, and Crowley and Castiel were reduced to torturing Alphas

just to get some skimpy details?

X

He turned an ice-cold gaze on the woman.

She definitely knew more than she was telling, a lot, lot, more and he was going to get it out of her, by the easy way or the hard!

He hadn't been Alastair's prize pupil for nothing and where Sam's well-being was concerned, nothing was sacred.

"How do you know all this, Dr Visyak?" Dean asked unsympathetically, his voice glacial.

X

She tried to keep her eyes averted from Dean as he waited rigidly for an answer.

Dean qualified his previous question with a threat. "Be certain that you will tell me Doctor, one way or another, the choice is yours."

X

§ Dean.! §

§ Keep out of this Sam. She needs to tell us what she knows. §

§ Threatening her probably isn't the best way, Dean! §

§ Let's try it my way first, if it doesn't work, I'll leave her to your puppy power. §

X

Strangely enough it did work, and Dean sent out an I told you so to his brother,

as with a sigh Visyak poured out the whole story and left her audience flabbergasted to find themselves in the presence of a real live escapee

from the mythical Purgatory.

X

Bobby remained silent, assimilating what he had just heard while Sam was torn between awe at this whole new abundance of information,

and cold fear that his soul might finish up in the hands of Crowley and Castiel!

X

Dean was the only one who had no doubts or fascination with the newly revealed Purgatory info.

Someone wanted to tear Sam's soul from his body and use his brother's essence, all of who he was,

for a stupid spell to open a can of worms full of monster souls.

What if the master plan to divide the souls between the two conspiritors didn't come off as planned?

What would happen to the Earth if the monsters ran rampage here?

For the umpteenth time, he wondered just where the original God had disappeared to.

Joshua had told them that he was on Earth but the way that the threats were raining down on His world recently, it might not be around for long.

X

"Eleanor, what you've told us is difficult to believe but either you're some mad woman escaped from an asylum and I don't believe that for a minute,

or you're telling the truth."

Eleanor answered him in the most eloquent way possible, as her face took on a purple and black coloured hue and her eyes turned red.

"Okay," Bobby nodded. "I'm convinced." And he remembered uncomfortably, the time passed with her, never realising what she was...

X

X

Sam turned and made his way over to the large bay-window that looked on to the front garden, still shocked by what Castiel had wanted his soul for.

He had always known that the angel didn't really like him, although Castel had never come right out and said it,

just as he knew that Cas had a soft spot for Dean, something that Sam had been happy about.

He had been hoping that Dean could count on someone other than himself, and he had prayed that when Dean was left on his own,

Cas would keep an eye on him, guardian angel style.

"Yeah, he thought, "Cas kept an eye on him alright but for all other reasons."

X

He felt Dean coming up behind him.

§ Don't worry Sammy. Nothing is going to happen to you, I swear. Those two douche-bags are going to get what's coming to them. §

§ I wish I had your certainty, Dean. There are so many ways they can get their hands on me. I can't live holed up in Bobby's panic room for ever. §

§ Don't be so pessimistic, bro. Even if it does come to that I won't let you miss out on anything.

I'm sure lots of chicks would love to come visit you down there. §

§ Dean, you're incorrigible but thanks for trying to cheer me up! §

Sam's affection washed over him and made him even more determined to take down any one who threatened his little brother.

X

§ Dean, I hope no-one tracked us here because we're pretty defenceless against Cas or Crowley. §

§ Nah. Bobby covered our tracks the whole way after we left Sioux Falls. §

X

X

X

"Well, well, well, this must be my lucky day. I come looking for the dear Doctor here and what do I find gift wrapped for me

but the two little Winchester boys."

Dean felt his back bouncing off the wall before he was definitely pinned to it like a butterfly on a pin.

He saw Sam and Bobby end up the same way.

X

§ You were saying Dean! §

§ Okay, okay, you don't have to rub it in Sasquatch. For a moment there I thought that the Winchester bad luck had decided to take a little vacation! §

§ Humph! § Sam's huff came through loud and clear.

X

Crowley sauntered over to Sam.

"My little heavenly side-kick will be so happy to have you back under his tuition again, my Moose friend.

We were both heart-broken when you shunned our hospitality and left so suddenly.

You must tell us how you managed that little trick, Dean," he said as he turned his attention to the older Winchester,

"but we'll leave that little story for later."

X

"Castiel. Get down here. I've got a little surprise for you."

A rustling of wings announced the angel's arrival.

"We just got lucky, partner. Two Winchesters for the price of one."

X

Castiel moved towards Dean who was silent, waiting for the angel to speak first, as he did.

X

"Dean, you do not know how sorry I am that it has come to this. I do not want to hurt you. I pulled you from Hell and there is a bond between us

that it would be a pity to break.

I wish you could understand that this is for the greater good.

I must win the war in Heaven but I can't without the energy of the Purgatory souls.

I need your brother's soul to supply the unique energy needed to make the spell work and open the door.

X

"Don't give me that "we have a bond" garbage. You want to take Sammy's soul and use it like a bomb in your little spell to open Purgatory.

You must be out of your angelic mind.

I'm just too pissed to go through the whole treachery thing again, so all I'll say is this;

if you touch Sam's soul, Heaven and Hell combined won't be enough to stop me taking out my vengeance on you both,

so I'd think twice about what you're going to do if I were you!"

X

"Dean, " was Castiel's reproachful reply. "You are a mere mortal and there is nothing you can do against the hosts of Heaven

or even the hordes of Hell for that matter, and although I cherish our bond, it cannot stand in my way.

I'm sorry that there is no other option but rest assured I will leave you Sam's body, and even without his soul, he is still your brother

and can in some way be a comfort to you"

X

"I'm not going to waste any more breath threatening you Cas!

I've already told you what I will do if you lay a finger on Sam's body or his soul. Go ahead at your own risk! "

Dean's voice was inhumanly calm. Anyone else would have been terrorized by it; in fact even Crowley seemed to be slightly less sure of himself.

X

Sam remained silent.

Dean had the stage and he was royally pissed. What was there to say anyway?

If Cas didn't listen to Dean, then there was no hope in Hell of him paying any attention whatsoever to him.

X

"Dean," Cas continued, sincerely wanting Dean to understand his reasons,

but only managing to sink deeper and deeper into the quicksands of Dean's bottomless anger, with his careless words..

"You are better off without your brother, he is infected with demon blood.

You on the other hand are destined to Heaven. You are Michael's chosen vessel and a righteous man,

while Sam is Lucifer's vessel, tainted and destined to Hell.

Think of your own soul and leave Sam to his fate."

X

So saying, Cas moved towards Sam, rolling up the sleeve of his coat as he did just before plunging it into someone's chest;

a black bag similar to the one that Death had used, was being held open by one of Crowley minions.

X

§ Dean. § Sam's voice rolled into his brother's mind bringing with it an outpouring of love and consolation.

§ Look after yourself. It doesn't matter about me. Maybe this is how it was all supposed to end. §

X

X

Dean spasmed as his entire body quivered, filling with an unknown energy.

He suddenly felt infinitely powerful and the onlookers watched in awe as his eyes took on an electric blue hue.

He came away from the wall and held out his right arm, as first Castiel and then Crowley exploded into a million little pieces.

The minions who had accompanied their leaders disappeared in the blink of an eye and Dean collapsed unconscious to the floor in a boneless heap,

under the stunned eyes of Sam, Bobby and Visyak.

X

§ Dean, Dean, § Sam's voice reverberated over and over in his skull, as he came to his senses, his brother's damp tears dripping onto his face.

§ Dean! Thank God! Are you all right? §

X

§ What happened, Sam? I feel as if I've been run over by a truck.§

§ I don't know. You came off the wall like a fury, your eyes turned blue, then you raised your right arm and blasted Cas and Crowley to kingdom come.

All the others disappeared too, probably frightened out of their wits by your little display. §

X

Dean looked up into his brother's concerned eyes.

§ I told you I'd save you, Sammy, § he smirked. § even if I haven't a clue how I did it! §

X

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX TBC XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX


	17. Chapter 17

A big thank you to all who favoured, alerted and reviewed the last chapters and any of my other stories.

It's very much appreciated. :)

* * *

><p>X<p>

Chapter Seventeen.

* * *

><p>X<p>

The four regrouped around the table in Visyak's ample kitchen, the incredible events of the past hour still fresh in their minds.

The only one who couldn't remember everything was Dean.

The last thing he recalled was Cas rolling up his sleeve in anticipation of pulling out Sam's soul and then nothing,

until he woke up to Sam hovering over him, calling his name.

The others had told him what they had witnessed but it didn't prompt his memory in any way.

X

§ Dean, you looked just like an avenging angel when you attacked Cas and Crowley, at least what my idea

of an avenging angel would be…! §

§ I don't want to know Sam! All that interests me is that you're safe and sound, soul and all, and that Cas and Crowley aren't around

to give us any more trouble, for the moment anyway!

We know that coming back from the dead isn't such a stretch of the imagination in our line of business, so we'd better stay on alert! §

X

§ Amen to that, Dean. I'm not in the least anxious to see their faces again too soon either.

However, I'm sorry you had to do, well..., whatever it was you did do, to Cas!

I know he was your friend. §

X

§ "Was," being the operative word, Sammy-boy.

Once I,… no… we, once said that we would die for Cas and it was true because we've put our lives on the line over and over,

and been hurt and nearly killed for total strangers.

That's our job, so we would have done it for Cas too, but he'd better hope he is dead for if I ever see him again, I'll make sure he'll beg for oblivion

to put him out of the misery I'll put him through.

He wanted to destroy your soul Sammy! § was Dean's desperate mind cry.

X

§ You would have disappeared from the cycle of Creation as if you had never existed; all I would have been left with was Robo-Sam,

a small consolation, like having a doll instead of the real live person.

So don't waste your energies being sorry for Cas. He made his own choices and he chose wrong! §

X

Dean's mind voice came through every bit as unyeilding as his vocal one and it convinced Sam to the truth of what his big brother was saying.

X

They drank in each other's presence, wondering exactly what had happened but infinitely grateful to still be around for one another.

X

X

X

Just then Bobby's phone trilled bringing them out of their exclusive telepathic exchange, and the brothers watched curiously

as Bobby nodded his way through the call, the person at the other end obviously keeping up a continuous stream of conversation.

X

Finally Bobby managed to get a word in edgeways.

"Okay! I'll ask them but I don't know if they will. It's not exactly their scene.

Persuade them? You must be joking!

They're the two most stubborn creatures on the planet! Anyways we don't have the clothes for that sort of shindig.

Well, I'll get back to you. Yeah, I'll let you know," and with that he closed the communication.

X

Two inquisitive sets of eyes met his as he turned towards the boys, pocketing his phone.

"Anyone we know?" enquired Dean.

"It was Matt. He wanted to invite us to one of the Hollywood parties that he's holding in his L.A. mansion.

He said he heard we were in California and right on his doorstep."

X

Sam pursed his lips, his forehead crinkling up in thought.

"How did he know we were in this area?"

X

"Well, California IS his territory; he probably gets to hear everything that's going on around here. You two boys interested on goin' or not?

He wants an answer pronto." replied Bobby, expecting a negative response.

X

To everyone's surprise, especially Sam's, Dean chipped in.

"Dude, the Wayne Mansion, of course we're interested!"

"Dean, what are you saying? You hate parties!" Sam commented aghast.

"When did I ever say that, Sammy-boy? I love parties." he stated with emphasis.

X

Sam looked over at Bobby who just shrugged his shoulders, no longer surprised by anything that these two said or did.

"I wonder if he's got a "Hunter-Cave" you know like the Bat-Cave but snazzier.

He's sure to have a majordomo; and wouldn't it be cool if he has a lift down to it and a secret exit!"

He looked at the other occupants of the room, his mouth half-open, eyes alight with anticipation and an expression of glee on his face.

X

Sam stared back at him exasperated.

"Dean, puleese..., enough! If you don't stop right now I'm gonna bundle you back into the car and drive non-stop back to Sioux Falls!

We have nothing to wear to something like that anyway! I don't expect monster-secretion spotted jeans

and threadbare flannel shirts are the in-thing at a famous producer's parties."

X

"Well," broke in Bobby.

"Matt says that he keeps a wardrobe of clothes especially for his guests and he's sure we'll find something suitable there."

§ There you go Sam. No problem! § Dean's satisfied smirk invaded his mind and Sam simply shook his head at his unpredictable brother.

X

Two days later they found themselves in LA.

X

Bobby had emphatically declined Matt's invitation, preferring to spend some time with Eleanor hoping to get

as much information as possible from her about the whole Purgatory business.

She had remained taken aback and alarmed at what had occurred, afraid that she would now be a target

for hunters and supernatural beings of every kind. She was after all the only ex- inhabitant of purgatory around.

They spent the time discussing the problem and strangely enough enjoying each another's company

and somehow to Bobby the return to Sioux Falls didn't seem quite so urgent!

X

Dean's childish excitement for the whole party thing still hadn't worn off and it caused Sam to glance occasionally at him incredulously.

§ Sam, you don't have to keep tabs on me. I'm not going mad. I just feel good. I nearly lost you the other day and I want to celebrate.

Is that too hard for you to accept? §

X

At Dean's answer, Sam felt like a shitty idiot. His brother was just happy, a state that was difficult for them to achieve in their line of business

and here he was ruining it for him by his constant scrutiny.

However he couldn't wait for tonight, for at least Dean would finally get to see the "Wayne Mansion" as he called it and they could finally put California

and "Batman-Matt" in their rear-view mirror.

They were expected at Matt's around seven; that would give them time to kit out before the party and Sam swore to himself

that his big brother was going to have a great night!

X

The mansion was just as Dean's fervid imagination had led him to expect.

§ Wow, Sam! Look at that! § he exclaimed in awe.

X

The place was huge.

They drove around the side as Matt had told them to do, so that they could get quickly up to the wardrobe-room and pick out whatever they needed.

X

They had just gotten out of the car when Matt exited the side door to greet them, warmly shaking each of the brothers' hands.

"Guys! Glad you decided to come.

You know I got a little curious about you after that little episode in Van Nuys so I rustled up some info and it seems that you Winchesters boys

are pretty dang famous amongst our little brotherhood of hunters!"

X

"Yeah? Famous in a good way, I hope?" Dean parried, having no intention of dividing any information with Matt;

for even although he had saved their asses, they knew very little about him and Dean had learned not to trust easily, for when he had,

it had mostly come back to bite him.

X

However there was something about the man that instilled confidence in him and he searched for confirmation from his brother.

§ Whatcha think, Sammy? §

§ He reminds me a little of Dad. It's the eyes or the beard or something. I can't quite put my finger on it but I think he's legit,

although I'll reserve judgement until I know him better. §

X  
>§ Wise and logical Spocky-Sammy as always! Come on, Dude. We're gonna have a sweet night.<p>

I'll bet this place will fill up with a herd of young actress chicks before long.

Bring them on Baldy! §

Sam just huffed exasperatedly through the link.

X

And so it was that many heads, female but also male, turned as the two tall, handsome new-comers caused a stir

amongst the habitués of his evenings when they entered Matt's party-room,

dressed in borrowed clothes, but looking every inch the "special two" that they were.

X

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX TBC XXXXXXXXXXXX


	18. Chapter 18

Many, many thanks to everyone who reviewed, alerted or favoured.

* * *

><p>X<p>

Chapter Eighteen.

X

* * *

><p>X<p>

As soon as the Winchesters entered the reception room Matt came over to greet them.

"Welcome, boys! Come right on in and make yourselves at home."

X

§ Dean, just what have you gotten us into? I freaking hate these things, § Sam lamented as a plethora of eyes turned towards them.

§ How can you hate them if you've never been to one? §

§ Remember the one with Bela! I had to suffer through all that for a stupid mummified hand. §

§ Now, now, Sammy. If I remember correctly, you had a great evening in the company of a delicious young lady, § smirked Dean's mind-voice.

X

Sam recomposed his face quickly from the bitch-face he was about to hit his brother with, and gave Matt a luminous smile.

X

"Thanks for the invitation, Matt. It's a very interesting place you've got here," his innate social graces coming to the fore,

although his instinct was to turn around and head back out of the door.

His goo-spotted jeans and flannel shirts seemed a thousand times preferable to the evening suit he was currently wearing,

but he tagged along in defeat as Matt continued.

"Come on, I'll introduce you to some people."

X

Dean hadn't been wrong about the girls though, and both brothers threw appreciative glances from under their eyelashes

as Matt led them through the room; well Sam did, for Dean didn't bother hiding his interest at the abundance of pretty little actresses.

X

Their host led them over to a young woman deep in conversation with an older lady.

X

"Joan, my dear, I want you to meet two young friends of mine. They don't know anyone and maybe you could show them around."

Dean 's smile widened as she turned towards them, reflecting that he wouldn't have to bother working the room to find female companionship

but his smile faltered a little when she answered warmly.

"I'd love to Uncle Matt."

X

§ Serves you right, Dude! § was Sam's smirky mental jibe.

§ Shut up, Sam. There are plenty of fish in the sea. §

§ Yeah and there's plenty of fishermen too, § he answered as he took in the number of men of all ages that were wandering around.

X

"Sam, Dean, this is my niece Joan. She'll show you around. I'll get back to you later."

She might have been, Matt's niece but she certainly wasn't blind and the two Winchester boys cut a real eye-catching figure.

So she took her uncle's request to heart as one boy on each arm, she introduced them to a seemingly never ending stream of alternatively,

admiring , questioning, curious, indifferent, appraising, appreciative and calculating faces.

X

An hour into the kermis, Sam couldn't stomach any more.

It was downright scary how his brother had taken to the whole scene like a duck to water, giving as good as he got,

flashing toothy insincere smiles with the best of them, but for Sam it was tiring to have to keep up the appearance e of enjoying himself

when the opposite was true.

X

He smiled and small-talked his way to one of the open glass doors that led into the garden and with a relieved sigh lost himself

in the shadow of the mansion's high walls.

He spotted some fancy benches scattered around, only seemingly haphazardly, on the perfectly trimmed lawn stretching out before him,

and he flopped thankfully down on the nearest, amazed at how in the darkness he felt more at home than in the brightness of the huge ballroom.

X

"I suppose it's not that strange," he mused, "darkness and evil is what our lives have been all about."

He loosened his tie and opened the first button of his perfectly ironed shirt.

X

§ Sam? Where have you disappeared to? I can't see your gigantor body towering over people any more.

Everything, okay? §

Sam huffed to himself. Overprotective big brothers can be a pain.

Since he had gotten his soul back, Dean had been like a Doberman and the little scene the other day had only upped

his mother-henning to the nth power.

X

§ I'm just getting a breath of air, Dean. I'm fine. §

§ Come on, man; if you're not having a good time, we'll blow the joint. We've been here long enough already. §

§ I said, I'm fine, Dean. I'll be back in a few minutes. You haven't seen Matt's bat cave yet so we can't leave, § he joked.

X

Sam knew that Dean was serious however; if he thought his little brother was really unhappy he would have left in a second

but Sam had promised himself that Dean would have a good night and it was a promise that he had every intention of keeping.

X

X

His attuned ears heard a slight rustling and he went rigid, all senses on alert.

Maybe it was just a squirrel making its way home loaded with acorns but such an easy explanation was not in the Winchester handbook of rules.

And as fate would have it...

X

"Hello, handsome. Sitting out here all alone can't be very amusing."

"Meg!"

X

Sam should have felt threatened but he had been around her long enough to know that she wasn't giving off danger vibes.

Maybe he should have stayed inside however; he had jumped from the frying pan into the fire.

X

"What do you want, Meg or is this just a social visit?" he asked calmly.

"Is that any way to greet an old friend; how long has it been now, around six years since we first met at that bus station?

You were a real little cutie, and I almost got my hands on you that day, but Deanie always came first even back then.

An unanswered call and you go off to save him. It wasn't very gentlemanly of you to dump me like that, " she pouted insincerely.

X

"What do you want? " he repeated.

"Not too friendly are we Sammy?"

"It's Sam to you."

X

She studied Sam's stony face.

"Very well, seeing that you're not in a receptive mood, I'll get right to the point.

I just thought I'd pop in to thank you."

X

This time Sam's face did change expression, taking on a look of surprise.

"Thank me…?"

X

Dean's icy voice broke into the balmy evening air, talking the temperature down a couple of notches.

"Get away from my brother! "

X

§ Dean, no! It's okay. She isn't here to do us any harm. §

§ Right, and you know that how, Sam? §

§Trust me on this one, Dean. She's here to tell us something. §

X

At his brother's words, Dean relaxed from attack mode but came over to stand behind Sam who was still seated on the bench.

X

"Dean, what a pleasure!" She sashayed over to him, practically purring. "I have such a lot to thank you for."

"Oh really," Dean cocked his head at her sarcastically.

X

"You know it's all over Hell how you took out Crowley the other day. The demons who witnessed your little show were very impressed,

or maybe I should re-qualify that to "scared shitless".

Hell was in an uproar; but you know how it is; "the King is dead, long live the King" or the Queen in this case," as she indicated herself with her hands.

X

"Whaat…! You, Queen of Hell?" stuttered Sam incredulous.

X

"That's right, boys and it's all thanks to you!

I owe you one, but when you've collected the truce is over.

By the way, reliable sources tell me that the disappearance of a certain angel has left the heavenly hosts in a quandary too;

but I'm sure that Raphael won't have any bother in overcoming what's left of Castiel's followers now that he's gone,

although I did hear that when everything's calmed down, Raphael's still big on the Apocalypse idea.

Anyway, sorry to leave you two handsome dudes on your own but I'm sure there's no shortage of females mooning over you in that den of iniquity."

She nodded towards the mansion.

"You know where a good half of THEM will end up, don't you," she smirked.

"Well it's been nice catching up and all but my royal duty calls," and she disappeared from sight leaving the brothers looking at each other stunned.

X

Sam was the first to find his voice

§ Well, she's right about one thing; that little "whatever" stunt you pulled the other day has definitely put the cat amongst the pigeons. §

X

§ You know, what, Sam? § was Dean's emphatic reply.

§ I don't give a shit! The only thing I care about is sitting right here in front of me with his soul and his body in one piece.

The rest of them can piss off.

I tell you Sam, demons I get. They're evil and you know where you stand with them, but that lot in Heaven…...!

I thought the angels were supposed to be the good guys, but now I don't think they're any better than demons,

just more self-righteous! §

X

§ Dean….!...§

X

§ I said I don't care Sam and I don't.

I just want to save as many people as possible, while taking down as many evil sons of bitches as we can.

Now, little brother, get your skinny ass back in there.

I want to see a chick hanging off each of your freaky arms and legs.

I have to admit Sam, that at least Soulless-you knew how to work a room full of women, §

he raised his arm to halt Sam's ready reply

§ and as you're forever reminding me that he was still you, then his girl power must still be in there somewhere.. So get to it! §

X

Funnily enough his little pep-talk must have worked as Dean caught sight of Sam chatting animatedly to a pretty girl at the Bar.

"That's my boy," he thought to himself keeping his wall up, and he turned his full-on attention to the two delectable little starlets

who were hanging from his lips.

X

Matt wouldn't hear of them going off to a Motel for the rest of the night and so they found themselves in two luxurious bedrooms,

separated but not alone, as they had company for the night.

Dean sent out a tentative tendril of thought to Sam's mind, but he pulled back quickly when he felt his brother's pleasure vibes coming through

and he dedicated himself to giving the curvaceous bodies at his side the most memorable night of their lives.

X

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX TBC XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX


	19. Chapter 19

Thanks to everyone who has favoured, alerted and reviewed and a separate thanks to "huntergirl" whom I can't thank personally.

I've tried to eliminate the errors but some may have slipped through, if so, sorry !

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* * *

><p>X<p>

Chapter Nineteen.

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* * *

><p>X<p>

The sun had already completed half of its daily journey through the brilliant blue sky when the Winchester brothers awoke from their coma-like sleep.

Dean looked around for his delectable partners of the night before but dolefully realised that he was the only occupant of the plush bed.

X

Mmm, he thought to himself, if this had been the treatment he had gotten in Heaven instead of the painful memories he had been subjected to,

well all except the one with little Sammy, he remembered fondly, he had forgotten how cute and hero-worshipping the kid had been then;

he would have signed up for an extended stay in God's country.

X

§ I'm still cute, Dean, though the hero-worship got lost along the way, § bantered Sam's mind-voice.

§ Dude, who invited you in? Those were private thoughts! §

§ You had the door wide open, Dean; so I just walked in. §

§ Yeah, well sometimes I forget that I have a nosy eves-dropping little brother. §

§ We can agree to bolt the doors if you prefer, § teased Sam knowing well fine that his brother revelled in their link as much as he did.

§ Shut up, Sammy. If we didn't have this link, I would be going crazy trying to keep tabs on your disappearing ass,

something that you seem to have taken out a subscription to. I swear every fugly on the planet seems to make a bee-line for you!

I'll probably have to come and rescue you from the Moon one day, as soon as the aliens get to hear about you! §

§ What can I say; I'm a popular guy Dean! § countered Sam ironically.

X

By this time Dean's stomach had begun a series of rumblings, reminding him that it needed some attention.

A half hour later, showered in the annexed mega bathrooms and dressed in the clothes they had arrived in, washed and ironed as if by magic,

which they had found folded on a dresser by the side of their respective beds, the two brothers made their way towards the kitchen,

the aroma of food steering them in the right direction.

X

There didn't seem to be anyone around and any signs of the extensive party of the night before had been completely eliminated.

X

"Ah, there you are!" Matt's jovial voice called to them from one of the doorways.

"I thought you were going to sleep until tomorrow!

Come on, I'll take you through to the breakfast-room. I bet you two worked up an appetite last night.

Some young ladies seemed particularly enthusiastic when they took their leave this morning."

X

"Yeah, well that worked both ways," assured Dean, rather embarrassed to have his night's activities discussed so openly by a near stranger

"Thanks for the great evening out Matt but we're rather anxious to get on our way.

We have to get our car back, hoping she's still there where we left her," he continued.

"Of course, boys, but a hearty breakfast will help you on your way," replied Matt as he ushered them into the room

where a table replenishd with food waited invitingly.

X

Over the breakfast table, Dean decided he would ask the question he had been carrying with him since hearing about Matt.

"Matt, Bobby told us you were a hunter and you proved that by pulling out asses out of Van Nuys but just how do you manage to pull off being

a mega Hollywood producer at the same time?

X  
>Matt drew in a sigh. "I suppose you could look on it as a sort of secret identity."<p>

"Oh no!" Sam groaned profoundly at this statement, knowing that it would set his impressionable brother off again.

X

"When my ancestor fled from Rome, he settled in the New World.

The family just seemed to acquire riches as the generations succeeded on themselves and we ended up like this," he indicated his surroundings,

"but we never gave up hunting and trying to save those in need or in danger. Once you know about the supernatural,

it's difficult to forget about the lives that your knowledge can help save."

X

The brothers nodded. They knew the feeling too well.

X

"This ground has belonged to my family since the first Valerio came out to California and we've just built on to the original house that was here.

If you boys have finished eating I'll show you around," he volunteered.

X

Sam grinned at the eager look on Dean's face.

X

In the end, all of Dean's fantasies were fulfilled, for Matt did indeed have a lift that went down into a cavern-like cantina

where his equipment was stored, along with a black SUV, another couple of anonymous vehicles and all the other paraphernalia for the perfect hunter;

there was even a camouflaged door that led on to a little private road out back, hidden from the overlooking windows of the house.

Sam looked on fondly as his big brother gloried in the total Batman-ness of it all, glad to see him enjoying himself.

X

"One last thing Matt" Dean asked cocking his head in bird-like enquiry, as he and Sam were in the car ready to put Hollywood

in their rear-view mirror, "Just how did you take down all the demons on guard at the warehouse?"

X

"Ah, son," smiled back Matt slyly, "every hunter has his exclusive little secrets that he doesn't want to share. I'll bet you two have a list as long as your arm!"

X

§ Touché, Dean; he's got you there! § Sam's smirk came through loud and clear.

X

Dean dipped his head in acknowledgement of Matt's words, before he put the car into Drive and hit the road back to his Baby.

X

As luck would have it the Impala was exactly where she had been parked, in the yard of the university in which Dr. Visyak had held her lectures.

Dean drew up beside the black car and practically threw himself at her, causing Sam to shake his head in amusement at his brother's enthusiasm.

§ Dude, what's come over you? These last few days you seem like Mr. Happy. You're oozing good-will and joy from every pore.

I hardly recognise you as my brother any more, § he teased

X

§ Well, I sure recognise you Sammy! When you've nothing to bitch about you don't know what to do with yourself. §

X

"Oh, Baby, it's so good to see you again," he cooed as he ran a hand over her smooth lines. "As soon as we get back to Bobby's

I'm gonna get you all prettied up, sweetheart."

He swung into the driving seat and he could have sworn that he felt a welcoming vibe under his butt as it sank down into the leather

X

Sam transferred their few belongings into the Impala's boot but he would have to wait before taking up his position at Dean's side

for they didn't want to leave behind the car they had driven from California, the one which Matt had given them the night of their escape.

Matt had told Bobby to keep it and it could always come in useful, as it was in far better condition than most of Bobby's old bangers.

A few minutes later the two cars roared out of the university grounds, one behind the other, and pointed their wheels towards Sioux Falls.

X  
>§ Dean. §<p>

Sam's voice buzzed into Dean's head as he drove along, immersed in his blaring music and in the familiar feel of his Baby surrounding him.

§ Mmm, what is it Sam? § he acknowledged offhandedly, concentrated as he was on singing loudly and heartily along;

no little brother for the time being to look askance at him from the adjoining seat at his off-key rendering..

X

§ You know we have to talk, don't you? §

§ Talk, Sammy-boy! We do nothing else now. We're in other's minds, if you've forgotten! §

§ Dean, you're being obtuse! You know exactly what I mean. We have to talk about that little stunt you pulled with Cas and Crowley. §

X

Sam felt Dean's mood change as he answered. § I told you I didn't care, Dude! I don't want to know! §

X

§ That's ridiculous Dean, you just can't ignore what happened! §

X

It was strange how Sam's mind-voice mirrored his vocal one, rising in tone when he got agitated or wanted to make a point, mused Dean,

but what Sam had said earlier was true, he was feeling unusually care-free

and he just did NOT want to have to dwell on something that he couldn't even remember doing anyway;

but that was his little brother all the way.

He bit and chewed on things until he got a logical answer to whatever was occupying his thoughts, and in this case it was "how did Dean do that" day!

X

He sighed. It was no use fighting Sam on this.

§ Sam, I don't even remember what happened. You tell me. I'm sure you've already cooked up a theory. Go ahead and share with the class! §

X

§ Well, you know we were both designed as vessels for Michael and Lucifer, so I would presume that we would have had to have been

suitably adapted to fit their specifications.

It seems that I got the demon blood from Azazel, although I'm not really sure at this point if that was part of the overall Apocalypse plan or

if Azazel had acted on his own, and I was picked as one of his special children by pure coincidence.

For all we know maybe I was born with latent demon blood and powers in me already and Azazel just activated them before their time!

X

What if the same thing had been done to your body too, but as you had never been stimulated by an angelic "Azazel," whatever angelic power

you might have had, to be able to contain Michael, remained dormant. Then Michael never did possess you but used Adam instead.

X

Everything that has happened to me through the years has never involved the complete extermination of my soul, as Castiel and Crowley

were planning to do a few days ago, and perhaps that latent angelic energy in you was triggered by the potential loss of a human soul,

combined with the fact that it was mine, § added Sam without false modesty.

X

He didn't see the point in denying something as obvious as the certainty that HIS soul being the one threatened would only make Dean

a billion times more motivated to save it.

X

Dean contemplated the theory that his brother had formulated and recognised that there could be a thread of truth in it.

X

He cast his mind back for a moment to the trip that Castiel had sent him on, to witness first hand what had set the whole Azazel affair in motion,

and an icy feeling came over him as he considered it all again.

Azazel had known nothing about the Winchesters back then!

It had been Dean himself who had first brought the young Mary to the demon's attention by following a lead in John's journal

which had then caused them to show up in exactly the place that Azazel was going to be; the house of one of young Mary's friends.

X

He hadn't thought of it before but in a way that had been Castiel's fault too;

if the angel had minded his own business and hadn't been so anxious to confirm the evilness of his little brother by sending him back in time,

Azazel would never have targeted Mary, and she would never have had to make any deals in the first place.

X

Well, there was no point in crying over spilt milk.

The exact truth of how everything had gone down would probably never be known, but the damage had been done, and both he and Sam

and the rest of the Winchesters had paid a heavy price for everything that had happened.

X

§ Dean? §

§ Yeah, Sam. I was just considering your theory, and even if you're right, where exactly does that leave us? §

§ I don't have all the answers, Dean, § huffed Sam. § I though you might have something to add. §

X

Dean didn't.

He wanted to go back to singing along with the music, but his brother's words had subdued his carefree-ness and he pondered the problem

as he drove his Baby home.

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XXXXXXXXX TBC XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX


	20. Chapter 20

X

Chapter Twenty.

X

As per usual Bobby presented himself at the front door as soon as he heard the Impala roar into the yard.

Sam brought up the rear driving the car Matt Valerio had given them

X

He was feeling especially good.

He had spent a couple of days with Eleanor, and even although he now knew she was a monster from Purgatory, he had still enjoyed his time with her;

maybe even monsters could learn to curb their evil side, he mused.

She had shared a heap of information about Purgatory, information that he was writing up into a reference book for future use.

X

He wondered how the brothers had gotten on at Valerio's, but he knew that wherever they were, as long as they were together,

their world was in harmony.

He had never seen two brothers like the Winchesters and he knew he never would again.

He took off his cap, scratched a particularly itchy spot on his scalp, and with a sigh put it back in its place.

These two would be the death of him one day!

X

"Bobby," they greeted him in unison.

"Boys! How was L.A.?

"Great, Bobby. You should have seen the girls," Dean grinned, as he clapped a hand on his sibling's shoulder.

"We even got Sammy here hitched up with a filly for the night!"

§ Shut up, Dean! A filly! Where did you pick that up? §

X

"And he even has a "Matt-Cave!" Dean chortled.

§ Dean, that is just pathetic. §

X

Bobby must have thought so too as he stared at the smirking Dean with an incredulous look on his face, while he rolled his eyes.

"Get your asses in here. I've been updating the wards and such, trying to keep at least this place safe for you two.

I don't know how you manage to piss off every supernatural being out there. Now you got both angels and demons after you."

X

"Yeah, let's just say it's a gift, Bobby!" Dean smirked indifferently.

X

They had dined on Bobby's excellent but HOT curry, and Dean had sated his appetite, finishing off dinner with the pie Bobby had bought in.

His brother was now sprawled contentedly on the sofa next to him, and Sam considered that this was the perfect time to broach the subject that

they had been discussing in the car on the way back from Matt's.

Dean's voice reverberated in his head.

§ Dude, telepathy, remember! Do we really have to talk about this now, just when I'm feeling so good? §

§ We're going to have to sooner or later, and now's as good a time as any to get Bobby's opinion. §

§ Aw, Sam, no-one better than you knows how to spoil a guy's good mood, but I know you'll just bitch until you get your way, so go on. §

X

Sam waited until Bobby ambled out of the kitchen.

"You got time to talk, Bobby? Any theories about what happened back at Eleanor's place?"

X

Bobby had been wanting to bring up the matter himself but he had decided to hang on and see if the brothers mentioned it first,

for if Dean wasn't in the mood to share and care, they would get nowhere.

"Well now, Sam," he considered as he took the chair opposite the couch on which the two young men were seated

marvelling as always how they just seemed right, one at the side of the other.

"We all saw what Dean did and I don't really know what to make of it."

"You got any ideas yourself?" he nodded towards the elder boy.

X

"I honestly don't know Bobby. When I saw Cas roll up his sleeve in readiness to plunge his arm into Sam's chest and take his soul,

something just clicked inside me and I felt so powerful. I remember zapping Cas and Crowley and then everything went black

until I woke up to Sasquatch here, dripping on to my face."

"Yup," confirmed Bobby. "That's more or less what happened. Now we gotta find out why."

He glanced at Dean again. "You got any sort of explanation at all, kid?"

"Nope, but Sam here has a theory, so I'll leave it up to him to spell it out. He's the resident geek boy."

X

§ Shut up, Dean §

§What? Are you gonna deny being a geek now? §

X

Bobby saw the exchange of eye-roll and bitch-face and realised that their telepathy had kicked in,

so he just waited patiently for them to remember that he wasn't part of the magic circle!

X

"Sorry, Bobby," Sam apologised, "Dean was busy being his usual dick self and sometimes we're not aware that we're using telepathy;

it just comes so naturally now."

X

"It's okay Sam. I get it:"

Sam nodded his thanks and began to explain his idea.

"What I think is that as Dean was designed on purpose for Michael, he might have gotten some latent angel power in order to be able to accommodate

the archangel, but it had never come to fruition in any way because Michael never actually possessed Dean.

As for me, Azazel giving me the demon blood was a nearly impossible co-incidence!

When Cas sent Dean back in time, Azazel got the scent of Mary, our mother, through meeting Dean, and by pure accident he decided to make me

one of his "special children" and in so doing my own latent demon powers were awakened early."

X

"Hmm. Could be," Bobby admitted, "but why did Dean's "power" manifest itself right now?"

X

"Well, Dude," Dean broke in, "Cas was gonna destroy Sam's soul," he glanced at his brother.

"That would have wiped him out of existence. If anything could have awakened any hidden powers I had, that would have been it."

X

§ Couldn't have that, now could we, Sammy! § He exchanged an affectionate glance with his brother.

Sam sent back a wave of love through the link.

X

"Then," continued Sam, taking over from his sibling, " Dean killed Zachariah when we were in the Green Room and we were under the impression

that only angels could kill other angels, so how did Dean do that?. He must have had some angel mojo even then!"

X

"Well, you minced Castiel and Crowley real well, but I'm wondering if it was just their vessels you destroyed or their angelic and demonic essences too?"

"Yeah, good question, Bobby, but even if they aren't dead; maybe they'll leave us alone now"

"You really think that, boy? If they're still around, I bet they haven't given up on their little scheme to open Purgatory, and for that

they still need Sam's nuked-up soul."

X

§ Over my dead body, Sam. §

§ No way, Dean. I'll give them my soul before I let them kill you. §

§ Then we'll just have to make sure it doesn't happen. §

X

Bobby huffed to himself. For now it was better to call it a day. The two brothers had gone mind-walking

and so he went back to writing up his notes on Purgatory.

Who knew when they might come in useful?

X

X

§ I'm gonna call it a night, Sam. You stayin' here? §

§ Dean, do you really think Cas and Crowley will come after us again? §

§ If they're still around, they probably will. §

§ Then we've gotta be ready for them, Dean. §

§ Just what do you want us to do, Sammy? §

X

§ My powers were meant for evil, but yours are angelic. We could try boosting them up in some way. Maybe all you need is to practise or something. §

§ Or something, Sam! If I remember rightly you drank a few demons to death to get yours to work.

I'm sorry Sammy. I didn't mean to remind you, but I'm not gonna go round drinking Angel blood or anything. §

X

§ It's okay, Dean. I did drink demon blood. §

§ I said I was sorry, Dude! It wasn't your fault, Sammy. None of it was, they played us like a couple of violins but that will never happen again. I swear! §

Sam's soothing mind-wave washed over him, comforting his older sibling.

X

§ Remember what Ruby said when I let Lucifer out of the Cage, Dean. She said I didn't need a feather to fly. She got me addicted to the demon blood

just to keep a hold over me, but truth was I never really needed it.

All I had to do was what Ava did, accept my power; open up to it, and maybe that's all you have to do to. §

X

§ Right, but what if it changes me in some way? §

§ In the end the demon power didn't change me, so why should the angel mojo change you. §

X

§ Enough Sammy. We'll talk about this tomorrow. I'm going to bed and if you don't stop talking about this I'll lock you out. §

Sam just smiled. He knew Dean wouldn't do that. Their link was just too awesome, but he knew when his brother had reached his limit, and this was it.

X

He followed his sibling to their room and both fell in to a dreamless sleep, their link keeping them silent company.

X

XXXX TBC XXXX


	21. Chapter 21

Thanks to everyone who reviewed. It's much appreciated. :)

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Chapter Twenty-One.

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Sam was in the kitchen starting to prepare breakfast; he had the coffee already in the mugs as he knew Dean would soon be joining him.

It was strange how their sleeping habits were changing too with their telepathy.

Before, he used to be the one who slept badly, always tormented by nightmares and guilty feelings of one kind or another, and Dean was the one

who could sleep through a brass band playing next to the bed.

Things seemed to have levelled out now; he slept much better, while Dean woke when he did or shortly after.

X

Sure enough his brother came strolling lazily into the kitchen, eyes still heavy with sleep.

X

"What's for breakfast, Sam? Sleeping sure makes you work up an appetite"

Sam only snorted. "The day you don't have an appetite, is the day I'll start to get worried, Dean"

"Aw, come on Sam, I don't eat all that much!"

Sam didn't even bother answering; he just shoved a cup of coffee under his brother's nose and continued with what he was doing.

X

He was so concentrated that he wasn't pay attention to whatever it was Dean was going on about; a fact which had obviously pissed his brother off,

for he was just about deafened by Dean's mind voice. § Sammy, are you listening to a word I'm saying? §

X

Sam was taken by surprise and the knife he was using nicked his finger.

"Ow, Dean, now look what you've done" he yelled, as he went to wash out his bloody finger under the tap.

X

"Dude, I didn't do any thing, I was only trying to talk to you! Let me see."

He got up from the table and examined the cut. "All that fuss for a little scratch like that! You really are a princess, Sammy-boy."

"Be quiet Dean; if it was you you'd be moaning about it all day."

"Well, I'm more delicate, Sam. You know that, don't you? I gotta keep myself in prime shape for all those chicks out there" he smirked

as he took his seat again at the table, having verified that it was indeed only a nick.

X

"Well, now that you've got my attention, Dean, just what was so important?" Sam huffed as he sat down next to his brother.

X

"I've been thinking that I'll give it a go."

"What?"

"The whole angel mojo thing. I figure we gotta be able to protect ourselves now that the stakes are higher."

X

§ Protect ourselves, or protect me, Dean? §

§ You're the one with the weirdo soul that they need, so I guess I don't just have to protect your butt now, but that too.§

§ Thanks for the vote of confidence, dude. I'm overwhelmed by the trust you have in me to look after myself §

Sam's virtual bitch-face came through the link.

X

§ Well, it wasn't me that Cas was gonna penetrate with that arm of his. I wonder if the guy ever takes a shower.

Who knows how many germs he could have passed on to your future Soulless self if he had gotten away with it! §

X

§ You know! I don't know why I even listen to you anymore, Dean! The older you get, the more of a moron you become!§

§ That's why you love me Sammy! §

Dean smirked.

Sam bitchfaced.

X

That's how Bobby found them as he strolled into the room, well not exactly strolled, more shuffled, as going by the bags under his eyes,

he hadn't been to bed last night.

" 'Morning Bobby," Sam greeted as he saw him enter. "There's some fresh coffee if you want it," and he filled the older man's mug.

"You look as if a train ran over you," was Dean's encouraging observation as Bobby sat down opposite him.

X

"Yeah, well, all that Purgatory stuff was pretty interesting and I didn't realise that the whole night had passed."

I wanna get it all written up and put it down in the panic room, safe from angels, demons or whatever else could come after it."

X

"Thanks, Sam," he acknowledged as he was presented with a steaming cup of the black liquid." Did no-one ever tell you that you make a good coffee, son?"

"Well, no," Sam eyed his brother, "Dean usually bitches about it."

X

§ Dude, if I tell you it's good, you'll never stop crowing! §

§ Jerk! §

§ Bitch! §

X

"So, did you boys talk more about all the power stuff?" Bobbyasked.

"I've been thinking about it and I'm going to have a go. Sam seems to think that if I do manage to get it working, it shouldn't affect me in a bad way

just as his demon powers haven't changed him," answered Dean.

X

§ You're still the prissy girl you always were! §

§ How often am I going to have to tell you to shut up, Dean? §

X

"Okay, if Sam thinks it's safe enough, that's good enough for me. He's been through it and is out resident "expert", joked Bobby,

wondering to himself just what the Hell these two would come up with next.

He wouldn't be surprised if they grew wings and flew!

X

X

X

The sun was casting morning shadows amongst the piles of old cars in the junkyard when the brothers walked out from the house,

keeping themselves near the building however, so as to be in the protection range of Bobby's wards.

X

"Okay, resident expert"; what's the first thing I have to do to kick–start the angel mojo?"

"Well, I suppose you already did that when you blasted the two C's at Eleanor's place so I guess it's just a question of managing to call it up

when you want to use it."

X

"You make it sound so easy, Sammy but just HOW am I supposed to do that?"

X

"Right, well, when Ruby started to show me how to get my powers working, the first thing I had to do was concentrate.

Close your eyes and try to visualise the power as a ball or a wave, whatever you want."

X

"How about a hot chick; that would be a good incentive!" Dean smirked.

"Dean, are you even taking this seriously!"

"Okay Sam, okay, don't get your panties in a twist. I'm gonna go for it."

X

Dean closed his eyes, trying to imagine a ball of fire.

"I see a ball, Sammy. Now what?"

"Try and throw it with your mind at a target. Start with something small like a pebble. Wait a minute," Sam fished into his jean's pocket

and drew out an old coloured marble, "try this," and he rolled it onto the ground a few metres from his brother.

X

Dean felt that his brains were going to burn out as he concentrated on blasting the marble but it remained stubbornly in the same spot

where Sam had thrown it.

X

"Are you even trying, Dean?" Sam enquired "or are you just standing there with your eyes closed?"

Dean opened them and glared at his brother. "What the hell, Sammy! I nearly burned out my neurons trying to throw the damn ball of fire.

You make it sound so easy!"

X

"Wow, Dean, your vocabulary is improving; "neurons," I'm impressed."

"Shut up bitch, you're supposed to be helping, not making fun of me!"

X

"I am trying to help. It seemed as though you weren't putting enough conviction into it. You got to really want to kick that marble in the butt.

Think of some fugly standing in front of you; a Wendigo or a ghoul and try again."

X

But as much as Dean forced himself, the marble didn't move.

Sam tried again to motivate his brother.

X

"Your power erupted when Cas was going to hurt me so think of someone trying to do me harm," Sam egged him on. "Some demon cutting out my heart

or tearing me limb from limb or twisting a wooden stake in my heart…."

Sam stopped as the marble started rolling away only to explode in a cloud of coloured glassy dust.

X

His brother flopped to the ground like rag- doll, but this time Sam wasn't as worried. He remembered the first times he had used his own power

and how he too had fallen, exhausted by the force his body had used to unleash it.

It would get better with time for Dean too. At least he could be here for his brother to encourage and help him,

not like himself who had been play-dough in the diabolically competent hands of Ruby.

X

He yanked his brother up gently and carried him into the house. Being bigger than Dean was useful sometimes!

Luckily Bobby had gone off to bed to recuperate, and by the time he came down Dean would have gotten his forces back.

There was no need to worry the older man more than necessary.

Sam arranged his brother as comfortably as he could on the couch, selected a book and sat down to wait for him to wake up.

X

XXXX TBC XXXX


	22. Chapter 22

I own nothing, no Sam, no Dean, no Impala, no Bobby! :(

X

Chapter Twenty-Two.

X

About twenty minutes later, Sam looked up as Dean stirred on the couch.

He put down the book he had been reading and leaned over his awakening brother.

X

"Dean, how're you feeling? Are you okay?"

Dean opened his eyes slowly, his eyelids felt as heavy as lead.

X

"I'm good, Sammy," he whispered. "I only feel as if I've been used as a punch ball by a herd of wild elephants, but other than that I'm real peachy.

You could have warned me that I would conk out like that!"

"I wasn't sure what would happen or even if your power would manifest itself," his brother replied.

X

"Yeah, whatever it was, it sure made itself felt." Dean said as he tried to pull himself up.

"Don't get up Dean. I'll get you a coffee, that'll pep you up a bit." And he made his way to the kitchen.

"I'm not goin' anywhere Sam; a kitten could beat me in a fight right now!"

X

§ Was it like that for you too? §

§ Yeah, for the first few times, I ended up on the ground, but then it became easier, although I still got headaches and nose-bleeds

but then they wore off too and, well, the demon blood made everything seem better.

Drugs do I suppose, at least in the beginning before they take you over and put you in the hands of someone like Ruby! §

X

§ Sammy! Stop it! Stop putting yourself down! §

§ Yeah, okay. §

§ That's my boy. §

X

After he had gulped down the coffee, Dean was feeling a little more human again and he could feel his energies beginning to flow back.

"I really blasted that marble though, Didn't I, dude? I'm awesome. Batman has nothing on me!" he smirked proudly.

"Dean, have I ever told you that you're an idiot?"

"Many times, Sammy, Many times!"

X

"How long before I can have another go?"

"Whenever you feel up to it I suppose. It gets better and easier the more you practise, and you can learn how to channel and regulate

the strength of the flow just like turning a tap on or off."

X

"Sammy," Dean hesitated, "I've never wanted to bring this up and you've never mentioned it, but is your demon mojo still go

or did being in the Cage eliminate it from your system?"

X

Sam squirmed uncomfortably at his brother's side, the memory of how he had been played by Ruby into releasing Lucifer, still a sore spot with him.

X

"I honestly don't know. I've never wanted to find out if I still have it or not.

Those powers have never brought me anything but pain and unhappiness," he answered gloomily.

X

"So why are you encouraging me to use my angel mojo then?"

"That's different, Dean. You were designed to be on the side of the Angels, I for Hell." Sam observed.

X

"If you say that again I'll use your skinny ass for target practice. The angels are even bigger dicks than the demons ever were.

Demons are supposed to be evil. You know where you stand with them, but the angels are every bit as dicky as the demons

only they get offended if you tell them so!

You had the ability to sent demons to Hell or kill them. I would say that's as good a power as you can get."

X

Yeah, sure Dean."

X

"Come on, dude. I'm feeling my old awesome self again. Let's go out have another go but you're gonna try too.

Maybe your abilities are just rusty 'cause you've never used them for so long."

"No, Dean. I swore to myself that never again would I try to call up my powers."

X

"Sammy, I'm here now, not Ruby, and we're gonna need all the resources we can get. We don't know if or how long it will take Cas and Crowley

to get their asses together but I'm sure they'll try again. We've got to be ready for them, both of us."

X

Dean dragged his unwilling brother back out into the yard.

He concentrated as he had before; he didn't want to have to conjure up images of Sam being tortured again.

He certainly did NOT want to have to picture THAT ever time he used this "power" but try as he might he only managed to unleash

a measure of angelic fire when he imagined Sam in danger.

X

Sam was sympathetic, well aware of how Dean hated to visualize him being hurt, but he assured his brother that with practice

he would manage to control it in a less traumatic way.

X

This time however, Dean didn't lose consciousness when he blasted the pebble that Sam had set down for him;

the exertion only made him fall to his knees, although he once again felt his energies slip away to nothing.

Sam yanked his brother up unceremoniously and settled him on an old bench near-by.

X

"How're you feeling this time, Dean? It's a step up that you didn't lose consciousness."

X

"Yeah, but those elephants still gave me a good pounding.

I really showed that pebble who's boss though!" he whispered weakly. "I'm awesome."

"Right, Dean. It was a worthy opponent for "Dean-man!" bitched Sam rolling his eyes dramatically.

X

He made to sit down next to his exhausted brother.

X

§ Uh, Uh, Sam § Dean's mind- voice came over every bit as fatigued as his normal one. § It's your turn. Call up your Demon splattering mojo. §

Sam didn't answer; his gaze on the pile of mangled old cars in front of him, obviously unwilling.

X

§ Come on, man! Nothing bad is gonna happen to you while I'm around. §

Sam remembered when his brother had first spoken those words years ago, before destiny had thrown them both to the wolves; but it was true,

when his big brother was around, nothing bad had happened to him; it was when he wasn't around that it had.

X

He sighed.

More to please Dean than anything else, he stood up.

X

§ You know that I can't send a demon back to Hell if I don't have one in front of me, Dean, § Sam reminded him

§ but I'll see if I can call back the essence of the power. §

X

He searched his mind for the hidden corner in which he had pushed down all memory of his Demonic ability and he found it.

§ It's still there, § he informed his brother.

He closed his eyes, held out his arm while forming his hand into a fist and focusing the energy down through it.

The dust from the pebble that Dean had vaporised rose from the ground in a swirling cloud and Sam smashed the infinitesimal specks

against the pile of wrecked cars, making them wobble with the force of his energy.

Unlike Dean however, he hadn't broken a sweat. It was as if he had never stopped using it.

"Right," he thought to himself. "I suppose it's like riding a bicycle."

X

§ Wow, Sammy, that's some real powerful mojo. You're gonna blast those demons to kingdom come. § his impressed brother congratulated him

through their link, but Sam could only summon up a watery smile; he didn't feel in the least bit happy, too many bad memories.

X

§ C'mon, Sasquatch, I need some more food and coffee to get my strength back. §

Sam huffed, but half dragged, half lifted his still weak brother back into Bobby's kitchen and set him down at the table.

X

X

X

It was afternoon when Bobby appeared; the boys had heard the ancient shower kicking in and Sam had prepared a very late breakfast for him.

X

"Boy, did anybody ever tell you that you're an angel!"

Sam smiled ironically. "Can't say that I ever remember anyone calling me that, Bobby!"

X

§ Sam! Stop it! §

§ What Dean! No-one ever has! §

§ You know what I mean, Bitch. Stop putting yourself down! §

X

Bobby smacked his lips at the first gulp of coffee.

"Did I ever tell you that you make a great cup of coffee, Sam? "Yeah Bobby, you did," Sam answered, childishly pleased by the repeated compliment.

X

Bolstered up by the coffee, Bobby started to talk.

"I passed all night on those notes Eleanor gave me and you know what, it seems that there is a back door, as it were, into Purgatory."

X

Bobby waited for the reactions of the Winchesters and he wasn't disappointed as they both stared at him in surprise, mouths hanging open.

He would have informed them sooner of Eleanor's personal confidences to him but he wanted to get everything written up and put away safely first,

before taking on the Winchesters and their questions.

He was getting old; one thing at a time was enough nowadays!

X

"Purgatory is mid-way between Heaven and Hell and according to her, a passage links one to the other.

A passage lost in the realms of the eons; she knows, because that's how she claims she came through.

She found it by chance and slipped into Hell, where she bided her time until a Devil's gate opened about a century ago, and she got out."

X

"You mean that Cas and Crowley don't know about this. They think the only way in is using Sam's soul." Dean asked in amazement.

X

Yup, Crowley may be a crafty old bugger but he's not great on research and Cas is short a marble or two; he just doesn't get it!

However Sam's soul is still needed if they want to open the main doors, as it were, but theoretically one could get in

passing through Heaven or Hell," Bobby finished off.

X

So they didn't come to Eleanor's because they knew about her,

but just on coincidence 'cause we were there and handy to take Sam's soul," Dean continued.

x

"Yup."

X

The boys meditated on what they had been told, if it ever came to the crunch they would have information to barter in exchange for

leaving Sam's soul intact but Dean hoped they could get rid of the C's ( if they were still around, ) before it came to that!

X

"We've got something to tell you too Bobby," Sam said.

"Dean's got his Angel power to work. With a little practice, he'll be throwing fire-balls all over the place."

X

"Sammy's Demon mojo is still good to go too, so, bring it on Baldy; the Winchesters are waiting!" Dean added.

x

§ You're so over the top, Dean. §

§ Can't I be happy that your soul isn't the only way into Purgatory, Sammy? §

X

And he sent a wave of contentment through their link, so strong that it made Sam break into a luminous smile

while Bobby looked on wondering what in Hell the boy was grinning at.

X

XXXX End of Part One XXXX

X

I'm going to end this story here and begin a Part Two because I don't like reading stories myself that go on too long,

so I'll give a little summary at the beginning of the Second Part when I write the first chapter.

X

A huge thanks to everyone who reviewed, and to my anonymous reviewers too.


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